Zero Compatibility
by vinbunny
Summary: Aizawa Shouta X Reader. After some strange circumstances, you find yourself in the company of Japan's most prestigious school. You never planned on being a hero, but your quirks are a perfect match. This capable man is everything you wanted to be... too bad doesn't seem to think much of you. (Slow burn romance) Begins after the first manga arc... spoiler warning!
1. You Caught My Eye

My first story in probably over 10 years. I'm shocked at how little Aizawa fanfiction there is since I find him fantastic. So I've decided to add my own story. The second person style is something new to me, so don't expect much. I'm keeping the description of the reader vague, but the character is in her mid-twenties. (Edit: Thanks to the anon that made me realize I never did first person. Haha)

You caught my eye

* * *

You were on the way to work the first time you saw him.

You usually took one of two routes on the way to the train station, and this way was the leisurely path for when you felt like thinking. It took you past Japan's most famous high school of heroes, UA. He was laying by the school entrance, and your eyes just sort of gravitated toward him. Maybe it was the difference between the bright and hopeful students beginning their new school year and his ragged I-haven't-slept-in-four-days appearance? Or it could just be that he was encased in a large yellow sleeping bag.

Either way you had to stop yourself from laughing. He looked like a dying caterpillar, and the youngest students avoided him on their way in.

 _"Is he a teacher, or a hobo?"_ , you wondered.

You stood near the edge of the street to let people pass by while you studied him. The more you watched his blank face, the funnier it was. A laugh escaped and you just couldn't hold back anymore. He caught your eye, and the glare he gave said he was annoyed. Your hand flew to your mouth to try and stifle some giggles, and you hurried off to catch your train.

xxx

Today you were running late for work. It had been a while since you saw the caterpillar man, but you still enjoyed looking out for him. It had become a sort of habit to check the gate every morning.

You yawned. All the news stations had blown up overnight when they found out UA had gotten attacked by villains. Staying up to watch the broadcasts and speculation wasn't the greatest idea you had, but nothing like that had ever happened before. The huge school gate was almost in view, and you wondered if that man was really a teacher there. If he was, did he get hurt?

"NOW IS THE TIME TO KILL YOU, ERASERHEAD!" A loud voice caught your attention, causing your head to jerk up. A man, a villain, was causing a ruckus. You weren't sure what quirk he had, but since he hadn't thrown anything yet you guessed it was an enhancement type. More importantly though, you noticed he was running in your direction at full speed.

 _"Why over here?!"_

You desperately search around, and right away you spot another man looming not that far from you. He didn't look that threatening, especially considering the sheer amount of bandages that seemed to cover half his body. You worried about him getting tackled in that sort of state. And damn it if he didn't remind you of the caterpillar man.

Meanwhile, the hero Eraserhead was having a terrible day. He was in Recovery Girl's care for much longer than he wanted to be. As soon as he got the okay to go home for a quick shower, he had to practically fight the other teachers in order to go without an escort. Now some no-name villain thought he would die easily just because he was hurt.

And really, everything hurt. Wanting to minimize the amount of effort, he decided to just wait for the villain to reach him before taking him down. Between how sleepy the recovery made him and the death glare he was giving to the enemy, he never noticed the young woman that frantically watched the scene. He braced himself for impact, but none came.

[eject]

The villain went flying into a vending machine across the street. The hero stared at the young woman now in front of him. She looked horrified at what she had done, and was panicking slightly.

"oh no.." The panic was rising. "I didn't... I mean, you're hurt and..."

UA was already the hot topic of discussion for the media, so the noise from the battle was noticed right away. He could already see reporters making their way toward them. And from the woman's behavior, she wasn't a registered hero. He growled quietly in frustration. " _Tch. How bothersome._ " There was no hope of going home today.

"Your name, Miss?" It was more of a grunt than a question, and the suddenness of it made her jump.

"_ _ _"

He couldn't exactly grab her with his injuries, but he did what he could to throw her onto his shoulder, effectively picking her up long enough to dash inside the school gates.

xxx

You squeaked in surprise when the mysterious man lifted you up. His hands were bandaged, but you gripped tight enough onto him that you didn't think you would fall. "Wha, why?" you wanted to protest, but things were just... happening.

"If the press sees you, you'll be jailed for vigilantism. You aren't registered, right?" He sounded absolutely exhausted by the situation, and the words shut you up immediately. The two of you made it inside without being noticed, but your face drained at the thought of policemen arresting you.

" _How is this happening?_ " you didn't mean to use your quirk, even if it was against a villain. You were happy with a normal life.

"-alarm won't go off. I'll take you to Principal Nedzu now."

You blinked. You hadn't been listening to him at all, and had no clue what was happening. It would be enough to not be charged with a crime at this point. He paused for a moment, and you thought he might have realized you had ignored him. His breathing was heavier than it should have been, but it quieted when he caught his breath.

"Wait!" You grabbed the scarf around his neck to stop him from continuing on. "Are you really okay? You carried me like... that" you gestured to his top half and bit your lip in concern.

He made a shooing motion with his hand, as if to say it was nothing. You watched him turn and go. Then he glanced back, expecting you to follow him. "I'm Aizawa Shouta, by the way."


	2. Opportunity

Opportunity.

* * *

Principal Nedzu was, to your surprise, not human. Nevertheless, the small bear-mouse chatted to you excitedly when Aizawa had explained the situation.

"The last thing the students need is more media attention." He had told him flatly.

It couldn't have been more than an hour since you arrived in the office, but the principal was ruffling through your old school files he had pulled up from his database. You were sitting in a chair across from his and feeling uncomfortable. You hadn't gone to UA, so you were surprised he was able to access it so quickly. It was a little intimidating.

"Hm. The quirk of rejection?" How strange to have everything about you sitting in one file.

"You could have easily become a hero with this." It was something you had heard many times before.

"...things happen, I guess." You meant to try and deflect his interest. " _Speaking of things that should have happened._ " You jumped up in realization and leaned over the desk. "I'm missing work! They have to be worried by now." You searched inside your blazer and found your cell. Pausing, you look at the principal. "If you don't mind of course?" You weren't sure just how discreet you were supposed to be about standing in the middle of UA. Avoiding attention was the whole point of this, after all. "I can, uh, call in sick?" The principal used the moment to make himself a cup of tea.

"Yes, of course. But keep it on speaker please – I am sorry to say we have to be suspicious of you for now." You nodded and dialed your supervisor's number.

[click] "_ _? _ _, is it really you? Thank god! Some crazy show off villain appeared and totally got slammed into the building! You'll never guess who did it too – ALL MIGHT" Her voice got higher and faster as she recounted the tale. "Anyway, the office is completely trashed. Most of us got transferred where they could find spots for us. But, oh god, I'm sorry _ _ but it was first come first serve. It's not only you, a few others-" [click]

You hung up the phone and slumped back down into the chair. Principal Nedzu and Aizawa both looked mortified at the news.

"He hasn't been in yet..."

"That guy..." Aizawa was far more annoyed than the principal. At that moment the door burst open and a grand voice rang out.

"Not to worry, BECAUSE!" **[poof]**

There was a lot of yelling. The men ran about the room while you still sat in your chair, staring. By the time the steam had dissipated, you could see the figure of a very tall and thin man.

"All... Might?" You were pretty sure that nobody else had an entrance quite like that, even if you were face to face with a man who was currently coughing up splatters of blood. Once he saw you he became frantic, and his cough grew worse. You both turned your heads to Aizawa and the principal, as if searching for an excuse. The expressions on their faces confirmed your suspicion. You snapped back to the skinny man.

"You're All Might!" You wanted to say or ask something, but nothing came to mind. You opened your mouth anyway, and the words "I lost my job because of you!" found their way out. The small-might straightened up instantly and bowed.

"I had no idea, I sincerely apologize." You could practically hear Aizawa's patience snap.

"If you had any common sense at all, you would have lied. Now this woman knows your identity, and has a swarm of reporters outside to talk to at leisure."

You try to cut through the tension. "I can keep a secret, you know." It was big news, but you were a decent person. You weren't planning on shouting it around town.

"Ahem." The principal was standing on his desk now, with three cups of tea neatly placed next to him.

"Sit. Drink. I would like to go over my idea."

xXx

Everyone was quietly seated now. Principal Nedzu paced on his desk.

"As you may know, the sports festival is coming up soon. Ms. _ _, your quirk would add nicely to the security of the event. Our enemies know what defenses we currently use. But they will not know how to counter you." You stopped mid-drink and placed your tea cup down.

Aizawa was against the idea. "I wanted to avoid the press, not add to the staff."

As hurtful as it was, you were pretty confused about the decision as well. "How can you offer me a job?" Shaking your head, you continued. "I could be a villain in disguise." The principal laughed.

"I highly doubt that. Indeed, this is mostly because I would like to keep an eye on you. We don't know what you will do with the... information... you have seen here. But be relieved! You will of course be subjected to a background check and close supervision until you prove reliable." He gestures toward Aizawa. "I cannot fault a person who leaps in to action to save another."

You blush slightly at the complement. "But I'm not even registered as a hero."

"We will help you through that and the teacher certification. It shouldn't be difficult since you will be scouted by us for employment." His eyes narrow in All Might's direction. "Think of this as an apology."

It was a great opportunity. And you obviously needed a job unless you wanted to get kicked out of your apartment. But using your quirk again? In the past you dreamed of being a hero, and all throughout school people envied what you could do. But the drawback was too troubling.

"You look conflicted."

"Honestly, it sounds amazing. But I don't think I can protect people like you're expecting." The principal hopped back into his chair and scrolled to a section in your file. He read aloud.

"Quirk overload. Its use amplifies emotions, leading to greater power at expense of control."

On paper it didn't sound so bad. You try to explain. "It's not just harder to use. If I pass my limit I can't turn it off."

"That's why my plan is so perfect! _ _, do you know what Aizawa sensei's quirk is?" The principal was beaming at his own genius. But aside from the famous ones like All Might or Endeavor, you really didn't know that much about heroics.

"He has the power to erase quirks. Your drawback might as well not exist! For that reason I am assigning him to test and train you." Your heart skipped a beat, and you turned to Aizawa hopefully. He however, didn't seem as pleased.

It didn't matter. As much as you told yourself that it was better to have a normal life, you still always hoped. Your heart and mind were both racing.

" _I could be a hero_ "

* * *

This set up was a lot harder to write out then I expected. Trying for ~a once a week update.

Thanks for the follows and review! I really appreciate it.


	3. Make me a Hero

Make me a hero.

* * *

An opportunity to be a hero, with the help of a man who could erase quirks. You studied Aizawa Shouta for the first time since everything began. There wasn't much to look at besides injuries. He seemed so defeated, hardly fit to be called a hero. His dark hair was strewn about with no care, and what you could see of his face could only be described as tired.

" _Just how bad was the attack on UA?_ " you wondered. From the news reports, the children had few injuries – at least not to that extent. Two teachers were hurt... and he was one.

" _This guy can make me a hero?_ "

You stepped closer to him to examine his face. He was hovering in a corner away from everyone else, eyes wandering around as if he didn't want to encourage you to say yes to the principal's offer. Putting your hands to his head you turned him to face you.

"Woah, Woah, Woah!" You could hear All Might's shock at how forward you were. Aizawa himself didn't actually say anything, but his eyes were steeled now, staring forcefully back at you. He had dry, tired black eyes. You wanted to laugh at just how tired he was.

"You can really erase quirks?" The words came out so breathlessly, it was more for yourself than a question to him. You wanted to trust him so badly. To be able to use your quirk without accidentally hurting someone. To have a chance to be a hero.

Turning back to the principal, you tell him you accept the offer.

All Might celebrated in the background.

"PLUS ULTRA!"

xXx

So far your first day of employment was limited to staying out of sight. The media was still hanging about the school, so even though it was almost two o'clock you hadn't left UA yet. You felt dead inside. If you were at home you could have a proper breakdown in privacy. But instead you were stuck on a roof where anyone could catch you. Burying your face in your hands, you groaned loudly in embarrassment. Again, you did something without really thinking about it – but this time... oh, this time. You were sure Aizawa hated you. And after grabbing him in the office (practically forcing him help you to become a hero), why wouldn't he?

While the principal ironed out the specifics of your contract, Aizawa had left without a word of when or where training would begin. You stood up to check the UA gate once more. No luck. Reporters still crowded around and would probably be there all day. You sighed and turned quickly when you heard the sound of the roof access latch opening. You recognized the face.

"All-" You paused and corrected yourself. "Um, it's Yagi, right?" Only the teachers and a few other people were supposed to know about All Might's civilian form.

"You're still here _ _ ?"

You pointed out the news crew down below with a grand flourish of sarcasm. He laughed and took a seat next to you.

"We're both in hiding then. I hit my limit already." With some embarrassment he apologized again. "The reason you are in this situation is because of me."

"It's not that important. I wish it didn't sound so much like I'm a liability for your secret though."

"The principal wouldn't have asked you if you didn't have potential."

You smiled.

"As expected from the symbol of peace, you're a really nice guy."

And since there was nothing to do but wait, the two of you sat and spoke until you were finally able to go home.

xXx

The next few days followed the same routine. Show up and catch snippets of Aizawa just long enough for him to ignore you on his way to class. All Might would eventually become his underpowered self and you would meet up to talk about various things. It wasn't long before the two of you became friends.

On this particular day you were pacing back and forth, stressed about how the lack of training was going.

"What am I gonna do, Toshinori?" You had already dropped to first name basis with All Might. It was easy when more often than not you were in the other's company

"I haven't spoken to him since my first day here! We were supposed to be training." You sighed at him, hoping for an answer.

"He just needs time to get used to you. Hell, he barely stands me."

"The. First. Day."

"Confront him, then."

Your face reddens when thinking about your last interaction in the office. It still bothered you.

"I can't."

He looks at you for a moment with his eyes narrowed. You found yourself being pushed toward the door with his guidance.

"You are."

You tried to stand firm, but even in small-might mode he still had at least two feet on you in height. It was nothing for him to drag you to Aizawa. He was easy to find. When he wasn't teaching he spent most of his time in the medical office for treatment. Toshinori quietly asked Recovery Girl to speak with him in the hall as a distraction, leaving you and Aizawa in the room alone.

"Need something?" He was leaning back on his chair so that it balanced on two legs. He didn't bother to look at you, instead focusing on a blank spot on the ceiling. You took a deep breath and let the spiel you had practiced on the way here tumble out.

"I'm sorry you were roped into helping me – but I've waited long enough." You were answered with silence.

"Train me." your voice was more forceful this time.

He tipped forward, letting all four chair legs touch the ground.

"Alright. After school, today."

You blinked in disbelief. You hadn't expected such an easy answer.

" _Just like that?_ "

"I didn't want to bother with a hero who was forced to be here" He closed his eyes.

"Now go away. I'm tired"

* * *

So it might sound like the story is going into an All Might fic, but that isn't the case. Aizawa is a difficult man to get used to. You have to romance him slowly. Tell me what you like about the plot so far.


	4. Limitations

Limitations.

* * *

After all the students cleared out from campus you finally began your training.

" _Am I excited or nervous?_ " You wring your hands together to loosen the stiff feeling from them. Your quirk was the easiest to use around your hands and feet, but your whole body could send an [eject] out if you wanted to. However, for the past ten years you had barely used it at all. Doubt crept into the back of your mind.

"If you're ready, we can go through the basics." Aizawa's voice cut through and brought you out of your worrying. He sounded annoyed again.

"All Might was supposed to be here and act as the punching bag." He grumbled. "I suppose we'll start without him."

" _He's definitely disappointed!_ " He must have wanted to see Toshinori get hit. You began. The so-called basics were similar to the physicals you remembered from school.

"Do everything twice. Once around with your regular strength, then with your quirk." Nervously you began.

Without your quirk you were terrible. Not much strength, even less speed. By the end of the first circuit you were out of breath. You made a mental note to start exercising more. He then moved you on to the quirk assessment. Though it's embarrassing now, as a kid you thought extensively of all the ways to use your quirk in battle. During the ball throw your shot went a pretty good distance with a well placed [eject] behind it. Focusing your power toward the ground you could enhance your running, too. Unfortunately you weren't used to the speed and ended up stumbling a few times. You did manage to shave off a second or two despite that.

Your weakest point was sidesteps. You couldn't control that many pulses right after the other, so the score was pretty much the same as when you did it normally. With every use of your power the effect increased. Between tasks you shifted impatiently. The moods that got amplified always varied. You suspected it chose the dominant emotion you were feeling at the time. Today, that was anxiety.

"Are we done now?" The second round was finished but Aizawa didn't look like he was going to let up any time soon.

"You can't expect to become a hero unless you push yourself. Once more."

You cursed silently, but tried to comply. One more ball throw gave you the best score yet, but your fidgeting got worse. You started to lose your patience and wanted to stop. It was easy to tell your limit was approaching and the extra anxiety toward passing it made you feel like throwing up. You couldn't do it.

"I'm done." It wasn't as if you knew for sure he could stop your quirk. Everything you expected of him so far was based on what other people said he could do. Doubt swirled around your head and consumed you.

" _What if he can't do it?_ "

All Might finally appeared at the last minute to find you both arguing. Aizawa was angry about wasting his time, and you scoffed at his ridiculous expectations. Your nails dug into your clenched fists in attempt to keep as calm as you could. You stormed away without another word.

xXx

With no need for a powered up All Might, Toshinori turned back into his regular self.

"That looked like it went well. How did _ _ do?" He caught the small phone Aizawa tossed to him. It displayed the results from the past two hours.

"An amazing quirk, but she refused to go beyond it"

After a quick glance he handed the phone back.

"I already talked to her about this, but you two just need some time to trust each other. Did you show her how your quirk worked?"

"I felt it was unnecessary."

All Might sighed heavily.

xXx

It took a while for your vamped up emotions to subside, but you made it to a normal amount of angry now. All Might found you sitting on a bench, still on the campus grounds. He was in hero form again, and it looked like he had been running about in search of you.

"You don't have to balloon up in front me, you know." The words came out more harshly than you intended.

"...sorry."

With a small poof he took a seat next to you. You felt guilty. The argument was pretty childish and Aizawa was only doing his job.

"We don't get along, do we?" You were a mix of bitter and remorseful.

"Ah, I wouldn't worry. Aizawa is just like that. He's probably not used someone reluctant about their quirk. Most kids here are dying to become heroes." You both sat quietly for a bit.

"Why _did_ you stop wanting to be a hero?"

You made a face at his question. It was a stupid reason.

"Its not a trauma or anything. It just... makes me feel isolated." You thought back. "When I was younger my sister and I would play in the woods and mountains a lot. I fell off the path once and down a cliff; took her with me. We only got a few scratches. I tried tossing her up with my quirk until she could reach the top and get help, but after she made it..."

"You hit your limit?"

"They couldn't get near me for hours. It scared me, so I gave up."

Shaking your head, you try to get rid of heavy mood.

"It was a long time ago. Hearing that guy could erase quirks made me want to be a hero again and push past it. But it's my fault I couldn't trust him." Talking had made you feel much better, and you thanked Toshi for his kindness. You headed home, disappointed with yourself.

"So people worry about things like that." He turned to Aizawa, who had been lying hidden some ways away from the conversation.

"You should be easier on her."

"I don't want advice from a guy can't show up on time."

* * *

Hope you guys are still enjoying the story. I always appreciate feedback, so thanks to the Anon that keeps commenting.

I'm assuming they are the same person.


	5. Consequences

Consequences.

* * *

Over the next few days you avoided Aizawa until you thought you could face him. It helped that he wasn't the the type to seek you out either. One morning All Might suggested that you scope out Aizawa's class and learn more about his teaching style. He was hoping you would see his good points, or at least the both of you would stop being stupid and talk to each other.

Currently your face was pressed in the corner of a glass window. You tried to see what was happening, but it was only the students being rowdy. You couldn't find him at all.

" _Where is he?_ " You snuck from window to window trying to get a better look, but nothing was working. What did happen was the class noticed you. The door sprung open and a stern boy started knife-handing wildly in your direction.

"Excuse me! How can I, class president of 1A, help you?" The students peeked out at you in curiosity. You heard some rustling behind the teacher's desk so you made your way over to check it out.

"Iida, no interrup-" You locked eyes with a zipped up, bonafide caterpillar man.

" _OH._ " It was a sight you didn't think you would see again.

" _This is too much._ " It was commendable that you lasted a few seconds before exploding into laughter. Tears were coming to your eyes you were laughing so hard. Any of the resentment you felt toward him was erased. There were whispers from his students as he promptly stood up with more energy they had ever seen from him. He forced you out of class, threatening you under his breath. The door slammed shut behind him. You could see his students spying from inside with great interest.

" _You_ were that woman from the first day of school. Are you stalking me?" You guess he had never recognized you.

"What? No!" you tried to stay calm, but you were still snickering between words.

"That was a coincidence." You didn't mention how you tried to catch glimpses of him every day after. "Toshinori suggested-"

"I should have known that man would butt in." He turned back to the classroom and you felt your heart sink. Everything was going badly again. He stopped for a moment and sighed.

"The next time the class has a practical, I'll arrange it so you can observe. _Discreetly_." He opened the door to go back inside.

"And stop listening to that guy. He's an idiot." Another loud SLAM. He was gruff, but he had actually accommodated you.

" _He's not so bad after all._ " You sped off quickly to avoid the glare he was giving you from inside.

xXx

"Sensei, who was that lady?" Jirou held up her ear jacks with pride. "I heard something about another man!"

"I've never seen him so surprised" Tsuyu had popped up with her own observation.

"She laughed at him!" Aizawa was getting annoyed.

"If you think you don't need to worry about the sports festival, then I'll make it so anyone who doesn't reach the top 40 gets remedial work until you graduate."

xXx

You were back in a training session again after two days of practicing on your own.

"Go ahead and use your quirk." This time Toshi had shown up on time, promising to support you as long as he was able to. Aizawa Shouta – whose alias you learned was Eraserhead – was about to use his power on you for the first time. You stepped up to face him, planning to [eject] him a few feet backward. Your eyes were shut tight out of nervousness. If it didn't work, you weren't sure you were confident enough to stay at UA. But to your surprise, nothing happened. Your eyes opened slowly, breath catching when you finally looked at him. His hair and clothing were gently floating, and his normally black eyes were glowing a surprising shade of red. Even half hidden under his injuries, the sight was striking. He looked like a hero.

"It worked." you managed to say. Aizawa rubbed his eyes and returned to normal.

"Of course it worked." His tone made you regret thinking he was cool.

"All Might here will be your sparring partner. Feel free to try and kill him." You smirked at his nonchalant attitude about murdering the world's greatest hero. With newfound confidence in Aizawa's power you turned to Toshinori.

"How... EXCITING!" With that he powered up. You were ready to show off your improvement, but you were really hoping to get past your fear as well – plus ultra style. Shifting your weight on the left foot you brought out your first [eject]. It sped you toward All Might, and you attempted to throw him back with a punch. He dodged easily and countered with his own attack.

" _Ah, block... BLOCK._ " Your hands flew up to [eject] the punch just enough to deflect it and run. With the next jump you couldn't land properly and stumbled opposite of where he was. You could hear his iconic laughter. You get up and start to move again, getting into a game of cat and mouse. Every time you hit a surface – a wall, the ground, the various containers that lay in the area – you change directions. You had gotten pretty fast, but All Might was impossibly _fast_. He met you at every turn.

" _I can't get away?_ "

"HAHAHA, _ _ my friend, if you keep running, I'll just... ATTACK!" You jumped straight up into the air with a strong [eject] to avoid him, but with nothing to deflect off of you were open to his next move. In desperation you closed your eyes and let out a pulse of power from your body. It was enough to keep him at bay, but you fell to the ground with a thud, forgetting to break your fall. By this time you were breathing hard. You could feel the limit approaching, but now you were dizzy with thoughts of winning.

" _Push through._ " All Might went on the offensive again, but all the stress had amplified your quirk. [Eject]. This time you stopped him and tried to grab his arm; hoping to fling him away from you. He didn't budge.

" _Wah. He's too heavy._ " If only you had more strength. He took the opportunity to pull you in with his captured arm and tackle you. Your body crashed against his and headed for the ground. Everything moved in slow motion. Gritting your teeth you fueled your final move with everything you had. The crushing weight disappeared as he was thrown half a foot back.

"Amazing!" He called, and got ready for your next attempt. But you were shaking.

"Shit."

A pulse left your body and All might was forced back two more feet. All the odds and ends you had been fighting around got blown away in an instant.

" _It hurts._ " The pain was small, but it seemed to radiate from everywhere. You desperately searched for Aizawa. He had narrowly avoided the junk your quirk had thrown out, acting quickly as he could. Steadying himself against the pressure he spotted you and unleashed his power.

Everything stopped and the men ran toward you. Toshinori spitting up blood when he saw how crumpled you looked. You tried to tell them you were alright, but they weren't listening.

xXx

Recovery Girl went over your vitals.

"Ms. _ _, what is your medical history?"

"Nothing really. My family is pretty healthy." She shook her head in concern. You could hear her murmur, "First young Midoriya, and now this."

She continued speaking to the boys in hushed tones. Toshinori came to the bedside of where you were resting.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Is something wrong?" You looked at all three of the them in confusion.

"Your organs were showing signs of rejection" The tiny lady offered you some candy. "It's a common problem for transplant patients." There was an awkward silence.

"Wait, you think my quirk did this?"

Aizawa spoke up. "The overexertion did. We don't know if your body isn't used to it, or you were never immune... but you can't do that again."

"Well, you are fixed up for now. Don't be reckless next time." Recovery Girl shooed all three of you from the office.

"As long as you stay away from overloading, this won't be a problem." Toshinori tried his best to make sense of the situation, but to you it was a huge problem.

Your quirk was a liability again.

* * *

Writing out a fight was interesting.

Really happy that many of you are still reading the story. Thanks to users Bubin and Shadow for the kind words.

I sort of went overboard and now I have a bunch of chapters almost ready. I've been trying to space out the chapters, but here we are.


	6. Loudspeaker

Loudspeaker.

* * *

Work felt aimless the next day. You vaguely remember All Might greeting you, but you were distracted with thoughts of getting fired. They surely wouldn't want you anymore. Taking a break in the shade of a tree, you closed your eyes and tried to commit your time at UA to memory.

"Aren't you the person Aizawa sensei threw out of class?"

You looked up to see two students regarding you with curiosity. Looking around, you noticed all the students were walking about. A glance at your cell said it was lunch time. You tried to get up quickly and dust yourself off.

"Ah, yeah. That's me."

"Are you a new teacher?" The girl of the pair was speaking vibrantly and looked with interest.

"Not quite..." You weren't sure what you were supposed to be, let alone if you still had a job here. You didn't have much time to think about it when All might swooped into the conversation.

"Young Midoriya and Uraraka, I'm afraid I must speak with _ _ at this moment." You yelped when he picked you up and dashed away at full speed. The children watched you go in surprise.

He made it to your rooftop spot before exploding back into his normal self.

"What is your problem, Toshinori?" He could have asked to speak to you.

"I know what you're thinking, and they aren't getting rid of you." He pulled out two lunches, handing you one. "So stop sulking and eat. I bet you haven't had anything all day."

You looked at the bento he thrust into your hands. It was wrapped in a cutely printed handkerchief, his decorated in a similar fashion. It was very Toshinori. Patting to the spot next to him he ate his small meal.

"Aizawa and the principal haven't lost faith in you at all." You weren't convinced. The principal, maybe. But Aizawa had probably written you off as a failure.

"My quirk's unreliable. How am I supposed to protect anyone?" He looked at you seriously.

"Would you say, then, that I'm unfit to be a hero as I am?"

You grimaced.

"That isn't fair. Of course you're a hero."

"As are you, my friend".

You studied his face for any hint at sarcasm. Of course, he was sincere. Sighing you flop down next to him and open your lunch.

"I get it already." You didn't say it aloud, but hearing him call you a hero put some of your fears at ease. "Since you've decided to butt in on my crisis, what do I do now? You took a bite of your meal.

"O _h. This is good._ "

"You should ask Aizawa. He was always suited for that type of thing."

"Hm.. maybe. Hey, Toshi."

"Yes?"

"Make me lunch more often."

xXx

"Aizawa." You had found him walking with someone around campus and whispered at him furiously to get his attention. You didn't want to be obvious, hoping he would take the hint and meet you somewhere when he was free. But the man he was with noticed you right away.

"Yow! Is that a woman trying to talk to ya, Shouta?" Maybe calling him out was more suspicious than you expected it to be. Begrudgingly Aizawa stopped walking. It must have been pointless to hide it, since he called you out by name.

"What do you need, _ _?" You had hardly opened your mouth before the friend was loudly spouting off his thoughts.

"You know each other? What a shock!" He clasped your hands in his.

"Darling listener, call me Present Mic!" He was grinning wildly at you. You smiled back, half out of shock and half out of amusement. After your own introduction he let your hands go to catch Aizawa in a head lock.

"Yo, you never told me you had a cute girl?" It was an unexpected friendship, but the way he teased Aizawa was priceless. Ignoring the insinuation you were dating, you couldn't help but snicker at them.

"I just had a question I thought you could answer." You watched as he pushed Mic's face away.

"Quit being loud and nosy. I'll meet up with you later."

"AH! So you're the type to dump his friends when you're in a relationship?" Aizawa glowered until Mic had flipped the up the collar of his jacket as flashily as possible and went on his way.

"Your friend is... extroverted." You were still smiling, amazed that the two hung out.

"I don't recall you being so shy when we first met."

"Touché."

"Are you going to ask me or can I leave?" You shifted a bit, wondering how to start.

"I never said thanks for yesterday."

"That isn't a question."

"You aren't, I don't know, disappointed that you wasted your time training with me?"

Aizawa stared.

"You don't seem to like me very much, so I figured yesterday would be a good reason to give up." You had run through the scenario a bunch of times before finding him. The different ways he could say yes or no, and how you would deal with it. But he didn't do anything you expected.

He laughed at you.

"Yes, your quirk is annoying as hell. But you handle yourself well, so I never thought you had zero potential. I only wanted the best results." He grinned. "It was a logical ruse!"

You went wide-eyed. Aizawa, laughing? At you. You shook your head. It was different from when talking to Toshinori, but you felt relieved hearing he hadn't given up on you either.

"Then, what can I do to get better?"

xXx

Aizawa had suggested you extend the time it took to hit your quirk limit by practicing and submitting a hero costume request to the Support Department. The two of you met up a few times to discuss what specifications to ask for. Toshinori and Present Mic would filter in and out periodically with some of their own ideas. Mic's in particular were focused on how extravagant your costume should be. He was met with a resounding "no" when he drew you up a frilly dress more suited to a ball than battle. You stayed up all night researching to get it done. You finally handed Aizawa your idea before his homeroom class began. They were pretty much used to you visiting by now, but the students laughed at how similar you both looked when you came in, eyes all bleary.

"The sports festival is in a few days, are you all ready?" They chattered all at once. You recognized one of the girls from the other day. She looked fired up. You laughed and told her you would keep an eye out for her results.

"You'll do great, um..."

"Uraraka."

"I'll be cheering for you then, Uraraka." You waved goodbye as Aizawa kicked you out again.

xXx

Your costume came in the day before the sports festival was set to start. You opened the neat little package that you found in the mail. The actual look of it you left up to the support department, so you had no idea what to expect. You pulled out what looked to be a sleeveless one piece body suit. You shook it undone and found it would cover your legs like pants normally would. A small note fell out of the folds.

"Compression vest – will monitor you vitals. If your body spikes, a dose of anti-rejection meds will shoot directly into your heart.

Helmet – also connected, will dampen outside stimuli as needed; can be manually switched."

You pulled out the items, running your hands over a small capsule that would attach to the vest. It looked like it was held in place by several straps. The helmet was a sleek, dark visor that would cancel out excess noise. You put everything on, pleased to find it fit well. The final item was a pair of light boots with the same set of straps, tying the outfit together for the sake of fashion. You felt like a hero, hurrying to work so you could go show it off.

It was a rare occurrence, but when you found Aizawa and Present Mic, Toshinori was there too. You took it as the perfect opportunity to make your grand entrance. Mic spotted you as you came up, and gave you the exact reaction you wanted to get.

"You look downright COOL!" He spun you around in a circle for effect. Leave it to Mic to give off infectious excitement. You couldn't help but smile.

"Just in time for the sports festival. Aren't you announcing for it?"

"Absolutely! Expect high action from the kiddos. If it's boring on defense duty, come up and hang."

Toshi gave you a hard pat on the back and grinned widely.

"You look like a hero." All the self doubt you felt seemed so silly now that you were surrounded by friends who believed in you. Mic was prodding Aizawa.

"Yo, say somethin'."

He ruffled his hair leisurely as he thought. With his eyes silently evaluating you, the costume suddenly felt a little too form fitting.

"It... suits you."

Your heart skipped, just a little.

* * *

In an inspired mood today, so here's an early chapter!

I swear I waited forever to use that "logical ruse!" line. I think that's when I fell in love with him.

So, there is a slight problem. There will be about 10 chapters in the story, bringing us to chapter 97 in the manga. I will have to wait for more to come out to continue the story. I had a thought: I can take suggestions to write some 'side stories'.

Think of these like trope-episodes. Give me a prompt, like 'reader gets sick and the boys come to visit and help'. Beach episode? sure! Want a Midnight x reader outing, alright!

I'm pretty open to anything, as long as it won't interfere with the plot. Just keep things consensual and legal.


	7. Sports Festival

Sports festival.

* * *

You checked the perimeter one last time before the event began. Nothing. The audience had found their seats and nothing major happened. You breathed a sigh of relief. The signal to mark the first trial reached your ears. With some extra time you were happy to check how the kids were doing. You peeked out from the bleachers to look at the big screen.

"You are _ _ right?" Turning from the action you found yourself face to face with a very beautiful, very provocatively dressed lady speaking to you.

"Oh!" It was the hero Midnight. You saw her around before, but never had the chance to talk to her. "Aren't you hosting?"

"Eh, Mic's doing most of the talking." She seemed annoyed about it, but grinned mischievously when another thought crossed her mind. "Instead, you can entertain me. What exactly is the relationship between you and a certain teacher?" Her eyes glinted, showing the sadistic side of her.

"Toshinori and I are good friends?" You didn't like where this was going.

"Not All Might! Honestly he seems too pure for marriage... no, I'm talking about you and Aizawa." Your face went blank.

"You already know he was training me."

"Oh, come now. That man is so unfriendly, but he enjoys your company." You would hardly say enjoy. Her lips curled up in a sultry smile.

"And unlike All Might he looks like he would be much more-"

"I HAVE TO GO CHECK THE PERIMETER." You dashed away from her as fast as you could, not wanting to know how that sentence was supposed to end. But you could guess. It was the fourth time you circled the stadium before Midnight caught you again. Eyes wide, you spun around to run away.

"Look! I'm sorry." Your body stopped and turned back to hear what she had to say.

"There's just not a ton of women on the staff. I know I came on super strong... I guess I don't know how to keep it casual. I'm really interested in you two, but I mostly wanted to be friends." You let out the breath you had been holding. Friends. You could do that. Even if she was dead set on telling you everything on her mind. Holding out your hand, you introduce yourself. She smiles back at you.

"I'm Kayama Nemuri."

xXx

After the obstacle course event you found your way to the announcer's room. You were hoping to greet Mic before going back to your duties, but when you stepped in you found Aizawa instead.

"I didn't expect to see you here." You stubbornly pushed all of Midnight's comments out of your head. She was crazy for thinking there was something between you two. It had taken this long just to get on good terms with him.

"Hizashi is out getting drinks and snacks."

"Mm." You slid into the spot next to him to look out at the crowd. It was a spectacular sight. Even during the break the stadium was full of cheers. "Your class is doing really well. And that kid you complain about is just like you said he was."

"Ah, Bakugou?"

"Hah, yeah. He's running head on to become the top hero. I can see why you spend so much time worrying about him." Aizawa scoffed loudly.

"I don't worry." He was sulking now. You grinned at how terrible he was at lying.

"Well, I just wanted to stop by. Tell Mic that I'll be back later."

xXx

Midnight introduced the final event, her voice echoing all the way to the top of the stands where you were scanning the audience for any trouble. When you finished up the next match was set to begin. Hurrying down, Kayama waved you over so you could both watch together.

"Oh! I know that girl... Uraraka."

"She's tough, and a hard worker. The boy's kind of loud though. It's not cute at all."

The fight turned out amazing, even though Uraraka lost in the end. You waved goodbye to Midnight so she could host the closing ceremony, promising to talk to each other more. Since there was nothing else to do you made your way back to the commenting box.

"Everything went well!" You high-fived Mic when you came in. No incidents happened at all. "I'm happy to say nobody even tried to break in."

"What'cha think of the show?"

"Fantastic. The students were just amazing. My certification is already scheduled, and I'd be happy to pass just so I can see those kids grow."

"No, no, no. Did our listeners go WILD?!" You rolled your eyes at him.

"That was great too."

* * *

Oh, Midnight. I think I like her, even with her weird costume. I had to take some liberties with her personality since she isn't around much.

I got some prompts already! I'm already thinking of what to write. Get ready, the next few chapters have some nice development.


	8. Side Story A

Fever.

* * *

You rinsed your mouth out for the second time today, trying to scrub away the smell of vomit. A layer of water leaked out from your eyes as you made your way to the door. There had been a knock, and it refused to go away even after ignoring it the first two times. Tightening a blanket around your body, you cracked the door open to peek out.

[slam]

You had forced it back shut out of shock when you saw Aizawa. Another knock at the door. This time you opened it to see Present Mic behind him, grinning.

"Why are you guys here?" Mic presented a small lunch, and pointed to the small grocery bag Aizawa was tasked to carry.

"We've come to take care of you." He beamed at you happily, but your forehead wrinkled slightly as you frowned.

"You don't need to. It's just a cold."

"All Might made the lunch." The small box danced back and forth enticingly. You knew it had to be delicious.

"I'll take it."

The bribery a success, they shuffled into your modest apartment. It was messy, clothes strewn about since you hadn't been feeling well enough to clean. You apologized for the mess, shoving everything in the bathroom as a temporary fix. Sneaking a quick glance at the clock, you made a mental note.

" _About time for the next dose_."

"I'll make drinks for you guys. Go ahead and sit." You pointed to the living room before leaving. It was cozy enough, and all three of you would be able to fit around the table. Aizawa sat down.

"Hey, you're the sick one here!" Mic followed your path a bit too quickly. "WOAH SORRY!?" A glass shattered in the kitchen.

"What's going on in there?" Aizawa started to get up, but Mic's face popped out from the door, waving him off. You sighed and bent down to pick up the array of pills that had fallen on the floor.

"What's this?" Mic whispered to you as he helped pick them out of the glass, the quiet tone something you didn't think he was capable of. He grabs the bottle to read the label. More anti-rejection medicine, given to you by Shuuzenji Chiyo. Recovery Girl. The expression on his face was both concerned and confused. "Weren'tcha supposed to be fine if you didn't go overboard?" You smile grimly, annoyed that you already had to explain yourself.

"I'm still fine."

You confessed: It wasn't a cold at all, you just weren't used to the side effects of the medicine yet. But you assured him it wasn't as bad as it looked or sounded. His eyes clouded with worry, gaze traveling to the other room.

"Don't tell him, Yamada." Unlike with Toshinori, you never used Mic's name. With a sigh, he nodded.

"I'll clean up here." He gently nudged you out of the way, carefully sweeping up shards of glass. Making your way back to the living room, you plopped down at the table.

"What happened?" Aizawa seemed suspicious. You rested yourself lazily, eyes closed.

"That goof tossed my favorite cup for no reason. He'll have to pay me back with his body." The joke came out dryly. You could hear Mic squeak out from the kitchen.

"Don't tell people that!" You snorted at the reaction but kept your eyes closed, hoping he wouldn't press further. There was the sound of some rustling, and a small box was placed into your hand. You opened your eyes to see it was cold medicine. Aizawa averted his gaze, trying to look disinterested.

"Thanks." Scooting the gift under the table, you picked up the lunch. Inside was a small serving of okayu. Toshinori was an angel. You might not have a cold, but you hadn't been able to keep anything down all day.

Mic finally came out with some drinks for everyone, and it was around an hour before Aizawa said he had to go take care of some things at the school. He was putting on his shoes when Mic surprised the both of you by saying he would stay a bit longer. You said your goodbye, and once Aizawa was out the door, you were instantly bombarded with questions.

"Your quirk's gettin' worse?" You sat Mic down and explained. The pills were only a precaution. Lately you had been put on a ton of villain cases, and the stress on your body was starting to add up. In fact, it was the first day you needed them at all – the overuse from villain catching plus a Sunday off.

"Recovery Girl said that my body knows how to fix the damage naturally, but it takes time. These are just helping." They weren't needed at work, since you could go to the infirmary directly. You could read the look on his face. Toshinori, Kayama, Aizawa... they needed to know. You shook your head. "It isn't worse, so there's no reason for them to worry. YOU shouldn't be worrying." Stretching out on the couch, you thought of an idea.

"Tell me about your school days. I want to hear all the crazy things you and Aizawa did as teens. These pills make me drowsy... so until I fall asleep?" He thought about it, and squishing himself into the space next to you on the couch.

xXx

"Shouta's a lonesome guy you know. But to be honest, he's much more open now than in high school."

"Hah. Really?"

"Yeah. I met him the first day of class. He was the only one who refused to make friends. But I wasn't about to have that. So I made a plan to make him talk to me."

"And that worked?" Mic smiled sheepishly.

"Not really. I ended up annoying him more than anything. But about a month into the school year I saw him hangin' around downtown. The first time he looked really nervous, so I didn't go say hi. But he was there a few times after that too, like he was pluckin' up courage go somewhere." You leaned your head on Mic in curiosity, his eyes sparkling back at you with an air of humor. "You know what he was doing?"

You couldn't imagine Aizawa being nervous to do anything. You closed your eyes and fought back a yawn.

"Tell me."

"I confronted him, and he was super surprised 'ta see me. He was pacing outside of one of those cat cafes! A cat was too much trouble to own, so his family didn't have any pets. Since he likes them, he wanted to go in, but he was too embarrassed to go alone." Mic laughed aloud at the memory. "It was so crazy, since I didn't think he cared about what other people thought. Especially looking at him now."

"Anyway, so I told him it wasn't a big deal to go in too. Let me tell you a secret. If you want to see him smile, take 'im to a cafe. Shouta's a sucker for that. Of course, I also racked up a huge bill waiting for him to finish playing. He told me he'd pay for one cake, but I ended up eating something like six slices... I had to work off that debt for weeks, he was so mad. But..." Mic trailed as he noticed your slow breathing.

You had fallen asleep despite his animated recantation. Careful not to wake you, he maneuvered his way off the couch. You curled up into a ball, much chillier now his body warmth was gone. Eyeing the blanket that was now bunched on the floor, he used to cover you. You mumbled out a thanks as he left, and he made sure to lock the door on the way out.

Fever end.


	9. For the First Time

For the first time.

* * *

You passed the hero certification test. It was oddly simple compared to how much work you put in your after school training sessions. Although, a part of you would miss them. The students were all currently off on their field training at various agencies. You knew because Aizawa had talked to you about it. He didn't want to show it, but you could tell how proud he was of his class.

"Of course Torodoki got so many offers. Even that loudmouth Bakugou got a ton despite his personality. Did you know Midoriya got one offer too?" He went on about all of them. You couldn't help but grin. He was like a secretly adoring uncle. That was a few days after the festival.

Today though, the principal was excited about something, and asked you for a favor.

"I'm so sorry, but it is important". You only had to show up to pick up a package. No big deal. You made your way into the building, checking the address once more. You were surprised to see the entire UA staff there cheering.

"Congrats!" Present Mic had led the welcome, and despite your eardrums ringing from his loudness, you were happy. The principal formally thanked you for a job well done at the sports festival. You laughed, saying nothing had happened anyway. He also presented you with a recommendation of teaching, meaning you could officially work beginning next week. You couldn't thank him enough. Everyone was there. They shook your hand or patted you on the back. You even saw Toshinori wandering around, politely declining drinks from the bar. You ran into Kayama who elbowed you and pointed toward a dark corner. You had to catch yourself when she pushed you forward and winked. You found yourself looking at a tall stranger.

"Congratulations." The voice was low and familiar.

"Aizawa?" He leaned up against the wall lazily, sipping on something alcoholic. The bandages were gone. You blinked up at his face for the first time.

"You too! A face is a good look for you" You tentatively reach up to a neat scar under his right eye, but couldn't bring yourself to touch him. "Is this.. something new?"

He sort of "Ah's" in agreement. It was strange. Like you were talking to someone completely new for the first time. It made you nervous. A large group of drunk teachers whisked you away before you could say anything else. There was karaoke and more alcohol than you knew what to do with. You had a drink, though it wasn't something you did often. Everyone cheered wildly as you downed a celebratory shot. You wrinkled your nose afterward, the sake too strong. You left the rest of the shots to the others, choosing to nurse a glass of wine for the rest of the night. You watched as Mic and a few other teachers had a blast singing various songs and showing off. Truly a great party.

It was late by the time everyone was leaving. Aizawa found you again, sitting by yourself in thought. The glass was nearly empty, and you had a nice buzz going.

"You don't have to stay and clean up, its been paid for." He stood a just a few steps away.

"Oh, still here?"

"I'm Hizashi's ride home." Mic had been drinking quite a bit, most likely passed out in a corner somewhere. Without the bandages you noticed his five-turned-ten-o'clock shadow. On any other person you would have said it was overly scruffy, but you found the look suited him. You were content to watch the way the darkness hid his face, and how his mouth moved when he spoke. It was Aizawa, but not. You wanted to get used to it. He seemed self conscious about the attention.

"Congratulations on officially becoming a UA instructor."

"I think you told me that already." You laughed at him, the alcohol helping your amusement along.

"Shouta." You were definitely tipsy. You had never called him by his first name before, not sure if you two were close enough. He looked startled, but he didn't complain. "I wanted to say thank you. For everything." You gave him a small smile. Your phone buzzed, letting you know your taxi had arrived. You stood up to leave.

"I'm glad we could become friends."

Aizawa was quiet as he watched you go.

* * *

Short and sweet, everyone. I've been frantic hoping for some reviews, but I'm glad that the story is getting readers still.

The next update will be longer.


	10. Side Story B

Fire and Comfort.

* * *

There were hundreds of people out after work. You looked around the crowd for anyone suspicious, but so far there was nothing. The principal had assigned you and Aizawa to a problematic villain that had been plaguing the town. It was an added benefit that the heroes of UA do this sort of patrolling for the town... and good publicity. It was your first case, so Aizawa was told to accompany you.

An arsonist - most likely with the help of a flame type quirk - had burned down three buildings already. The first two had been abandoned, which was how they went unnoticed. But the last fire had been in an old and unpopular apartment complex. So far nobody had gotten hurt, but it would be pushing it to leave the villain unchecked. You weren't sure what to look for, just scanning the skies for smoke, maybe someone acting strangely. Aizawa was doing his own surveying by himself. Passing an alleyway, you caught a waft of something burning. The alley led to an open window of another apartment, this time much newer.

" _Alright, one... two..._ " Utilizing your quirk you vaulted up to the second floor, then climbed through the window. Thin trails of smoke danced along the floors and disappeared as they rose into the air. A door slammed loudly as if announcing the figure that ran toward you, bringing about more smoke and embers. You felt a rough push and fell to the floor as you lost your balance. Your flesh singed where they had touched you. Ignoring the pain you scrambled to follow their trail of smoke and embers, but a weak cry of help stopped you.

" _Someone's here!_ " You pressed a button on the small pin Aizawa had given you for the mission. It was meant to give him your location when you ran into trouble, a discreet gadget created by the support department. Feeling better knowing you wouldn't be doing this alone for long, you went to search for the voice.

The first door you tried was the one the villain had burst out from. Locked. Jiggling the handle, you heard the cries for help increase. You slammed the door once with your body, then again, this time with an [eject] to knock it down. Smoke filled your lungs instantly and you coughed, unable to breathe. You vaguely wished you had requested a visor that covered your mouth, even though it wouldn't have helped much outside this situation. Dropping low to avoid the smoke, you could see a fire was burning brightly to your left. You could hear coughing somewhere in the room, but using your quirk on the smoke without knowing who was in there was dangerous.

"Are you okay?" You called out as clearly as you could without choking on more smoke.

"We're here!" A weak voice answered to the right of you, and close to the floor. It was good enough. First was the smoke in the air. You threw out an [eject] to blast the smoke away, which cleared the room just enough to see a small child and a man at the far end. You rushed to them, hoping to deal with the small fire afterward. The man had gotten stuck under a heavy set of drawers. Grasping the edges you forced it off of him.

"I've got you." The man was frantic.

"Please, take my daughter first." You tried to calm him down.

"You both are safe. Are you two the only ones here?" You helped him prop himself up, then picked up the girl carefully. She was passed out, but alive.

"Yes. My wife went to the shop a while ago." Nodding, you turned to the thankfully small fire. Shifting the girl's weight to one side, you threw out one [eject] to smother it out.

"Can you move? Let's go." You made it to the door when an explosion went off from the direction you just left. You curled over the girl to shield her, the both of you tumbling forward from the force. A glance back was all it took to see the father was dead. You felt sick, but willed tears away as the villain came through their freshly made hole in the wall.

"You. Put. Out. My. Fire." It was a feminine voice that screeched at you, crazed and dangerous. Her body was hidden under a mix of ash and smoke, like she had been engulfed in flames. You swallowed down a wave of apprehension and held tight to the daughter. You wouldn't let her die too. The villain jumped at you with a high pitched scream. You swung your arm out with a strong [eject], slamming her into the wall. The place where your arm met hers sizzled with pain, you were too slow to push her away before she touched you. While she was down you ran out of the room. Without stopping you knocked down the front door by slamming into it. Smoke billowed out of the apartment, but the neighboring ones seemed untouched. You heard an angry scream. With a shudder you made your way down the stairs and to the bottom floor.

" _Where is Aizawa?_ " He definitely got your GPS signal, but you desperately wished UA had provided a communication system instead. A figure plopped down in front of you, cracking the ground. You reared back, narrowly missing a swipe to your face. You could feel the heat singe the ends of your hair. Arms full, you tried kicking out, this time using [eject] before any part of you met hers. You fell to the ground, but she had flown back a few feet. Once more she got up to charge you. Holding a hand out, you got ready for another attack, gripping tightly to the unconscious girl with your other hand. But the villain never got close. Familiar strips of cloth shot out to restrain the woman. The quick and capable form of Eraserhead gracefully dropped down in front of you, quirk activated. With a swift hit he knocked her unconscious. You caught the last second of his eyes changing from red to black as he turned his head to make sure you were alright.

The police arrived on the scene not long after. An ambulance and a distraught mother came for the girl. You gave your statement about the father with the utmost regret, then left the police to their work, hiding yourself away from the fray. Squatting down, you try to make yourself as small as possible.

" _Deep breaths._ " Your hands covered your face as you tried to get rid of the intense feelings from the battle. The face of the mother when she heard her husband had died. Your eyes were wet but you didn't want to cry. You were so focused on keeping calm that you didn't hear Aizawa walk up.

"You need to get your wounds checked." You jerked your head up at him in surprise and embarrassment. He wasn't supposed to see you like this. Quickly standing up, you covered the burn on your abdomen.

"I'm fine for now." He stepped closer to you to evaluate the burn on your arm. It was the worst of the two injuries. Taking your arm he pulled out an unlabeled cream and gauze from a pack on his hip.

"You saved a life today." You face turned into a pained expression at his words. You had also let a man die.

"I wasn't fast enough to save them both." His fingers trailed lightly as he wrapped your burn so it wouldn't get infected.

"The villain caused the situation. It wouldn't be logical to say it was your fault."

"You would have saved them both."

"I wasn't there. Because of you, someone was saved." He finished his treatment and let your arm go. His words made sense, but you still felt empty. You could see his eyes glaze slightly as he thought. Running his hand through his hair impatiently, he sighed in resignation.

"It was a more difficult case than planned. Since it can't be helped, I'll treat you to a drink. Hizashi would want to come too, and whoever else." He looked uncomfortable waiting for your response.

Kind. Aizawa was so kind, even when he didn't want to be. You smiled weakly.

"A drink sounds great."

Fire and Comfort end.


	11. Side Story C

A Night Out.

* * *

Toshinori was shocked when you showed up at his doorstep. Even moreso when he noticed it wasn't only you, but Midnight who was pushing her way into his home.

"You two look beautiful?" He nodded his head toward the shimmery dresses you both had on, but was confused about why you were wearing them at his residence.

"Toshi, we're going out." More confusion. You could easily see his thought process: Did you mean that you were dating Kayama? Are you asking him out on a date? You held back a fit of laughter.

"Go get dressed, everyone is going out together for drinks." Kayama ordered him lightly, pushing him away from the front door to his living room.

"You don't have to actually drink, just come out with us." You wanted to clarify before he tried to turn the invitation down. He shyly came out of his room some time later in an oversized suit, trying his best to match the level of class from your outfits. Taking his arm you led him to the large car outside.

"Oh!" One last surprise awaited him when he saw not only Aizawa and Mic, but Snipe, Ectoplasm, and Thirteen there too.

"Everyone else should already be at the bar."

xXx

Somehow Ectoplasm got the classy cocktail bar to let him have a karaoke corner, where many of the teachers and other patrons were watching with interest. It left your usual group at a table with good drinks and conversation. Toshinori had his own special order of teas in place of the alcohol. Already on her second beer, Midnight threw out an idea.

"Why don't we play truth or dare?"

"Isn't that a game children play?"

"Only if you can't handle it." Her eyes glinted, urging everyone to get on board and have fun. Mic was the first to bite.

"Look alive everyone! I'll show you how it's done." You thought it might be fun.

"Alright, but I'm not drunk enough for anything too crazy." You shot a glance at Kaya, warning her to keep it normal. It would be interesting to learn more about your coworkers. The rules made it so you couldn't have more than 2 truths in a row, and you only had one pass. There were no repeating questions or dares.

Toshinori looked nervous. "Who goes first?"

Midnight began, spinning her empty bottle on the table to add an element of luck. It landed on Mic, who chose truth.

"Are you a natural blond?"

He laughed. "100%." The questions started off simple. Aizawa was the first to take a dare from Toshinori, whose best idea was to order him the weirdest drink on the menu and have him finish it. Everyone watched him flinch as he downed a strange shot called a Kumis.

"Hm. Not terrible." He got Kayama hold a conversation in English with someone from the bar. She confidently went over to do it, but Mic burst out laughing when she came back. Apparently her English skills needed a lot of work. On the first turn you chose a truth.

"You've been spending a lot of time with Aizawa lately, what has that been about?" You were taken aback at Toshinori's question. You ducked your head in embarrassment, not realizing that anyone noticed.

"He's... been helping me with my teaching." In place of the quirk training, you had asked him to make you a better teacher, since it always felt weird to you that the principal just gave you the job. Secretly though, you also enjoyed spending time alone with him.

After a few more drinks, Mic had done a karaoke duet with Ectoplasm, but shirtless. Aizawa confessed that he listened to Mic's radio show, and Toshi surprised everyone saying he used to be in a relationship a long time ago before becoming a hero. The bottle landed on you next, a dare that would come from Kayama.

"Give one of the boys a kiss." She had been waiting for this, you knew. You stood straight up and pulled the only sober man toward you, giving him a peck on the cheek. He was a bit surprised you chose him. You grinned slyly back at Kaya, letting her know her plan failed. Everyone aside from Toshinori was getting tipsy, and the game had morphed into questions to the whole group. "What kind of person do you want to marry?" Kayama was grinning again, wanting to see how you got out of this one. She began, listing off a strange set of wants in her ideal partner. Toshi's thoughts were much more simple.

"Someone kind and strong." He refused to answer beyond that. You didn't look at Aizawa at all when you said you wanted someone you could trust and depend on. Mic was content with anyone to have fun with. Aizawa waved off the question with disinterest and invoked his pass. Everyone groaned, deciding to end the game there.

xXx

Soon Mic pulled you from your seat to the karaoke stage for a song. You stood back to back with him, and an English song you only knew half the words of came on. You punched him playfully at his choice, and tried to sing when the chorus came on. The both of you fell into a fit of giggles by the time it ended. "_ _, you suck at singing."

You gave Mic a thumbs up. "Yes."

You made your was back to Toshnori, who was the only one left at the table. "I hope we didn't bother you by taking you out tonight."

"Nonsense. It was fun." Looking out to the group, he seemed concerned. "But how are we going to get all of them home?"

xXx

Piling a large group of drunken adults into one car was nearly impossible. Everyone was pressed up against one another, half of them arguing about which house to go to first. You don't know how it happened, but in trying to let a passed out Midnight have as much room as possible, you found yourself in close quarters with one Aizawa Shouta. Seemingly unconcerned, his body radiated warmth to your left side, the sleeping form of Kayama warming your lap. She had been an overtly affectionate drunk. And with Aizawa's tipsy head nuzzled in your shoulder, you were beginning to suspect he was one too. You cursed silently, feeling embarrassed at being wedged between these two attractive people.

Toshinori was giving out directions to the driver since he was the most sober of the group. He smiled at your predicament, the faint blush on your cheeks not going unnoticed. One by one everyone got home safely, and eventually the car stopped outside your apartment.

"I'm sorry if I pried too much earlier."

"What?" Midnight was leaning heavily on your shoulder, giggling about something indiscernible. You stared at Toshinori, who was helping you get her inside.

"The game. I wasn't sure before, but I'd like it if my friends were happy." Focusing on opening the door, you avoided his gaze.

"Good night, Toshi." He chuckled.

"Good night, _ _."

A Night Out end.


	12. Strength of the Future

Strength of the future.

* * *

You jumped when Aizawa popped up in search of you. It was still weird looking at his face, and it wasn't often he actually went to find you.

"If you are still interested, I'm on the way to the student mock battle exams". Since you didn't have any classes scheduled just yet, you got up quickly to follow. Recovery Girl had a makeshift infirmary set up, outfitted with a massive set of big screens. You made note of which ones followed your friends.

"Have you been well?"

"No problems so far." Even she had been at your celebration party for a while, retiring early after Mic began his loud version of karaoke singing. It was nice to see her again in a normal setting. "This is an interesting exam." They had gathered a selection of teachers for it.

"Nedzu thought it would be best to have practical experience of battle. After the run in with villains, it was a challenge more suited to their needs. They are a good bunch of children." You nodded.

The students were paired up and the exam began.

It was captivating to see Aizawa in action. Aside from the training sessions, you had never seen him in battle. Your eyes followed his every move against Yaoyorozu and Todoroki. He was quick and calculating, calm and precise. His style seemed to be everything your quirk use was not. You had meant to switch between everyone, but before you know it Recovery Girl had announced his defeat to the entire class. She patted you on the back with some amusement when you scrambled to see how the others were doing. Midnight and Mic were both doing pretty well keeping their opponents at bay. Kayama had already knocked out one of the students while Mic seemed to be having more fun than he should have been. You stopped at All Might's screen.

"What is he doing?!" Your finger prodded at the tiny image of All Might practically murdering two boys. You recognized them both as well.

"Going overboard again, I imagine."

You watched in disbelief as he knocked them around. He obviously didn't know the meaning of take it easy.

xXx

You stood outside the tent as Recovery Girl tended to the boys. You could hear her scolding All Might for going so far. When he finally walked out, he was holding an unconscious Bakugou.

"All Might." You glared at him with arms crossed. He definitely didn't get enough reprise.

"I'm taking young Bakugou to rest inside."

"Are you crazy?"

"It was Recovery Girl who reques-"

"I mean, don't break your students!" You sighed and pointed him to the school, following behind. You weren't about to let him off easy. Once the kid was safely with his friends, you continued.

"That freckly boy, you're going to push him too hard." You both walked to the staff room so All Might could poof back without being noticed.

"Young Midoriya?" You gave him a look. Who else would you be talking about? Midoriya was usually on the top of All Might's worry list. And you had to be blind to miss the kid's adoration. Seeing them around school sometimes made you think they had a familial relationship, like watching a father and son. You reached the office, taking care to shut the door behind you.

"He'll end up hurting himself just to make you proud. Be careful, Toshi." A yellow lump on the floor caught your eye, making you laugh.

"What are you doing?" You bent down to see Aizawa drinking a square juice packet. You bit your lip to fight the growing urge to laugh at him again. He glanced at the both of you before getting up.

"How did they do?" Toshinori gave him a thumbs up.

"Then the matching worked as intended. It's a miracle they didn't kill one another." His eyes flickered as he remembered something. "By the way, _ _, I wanted to talk to you." Zipping out of his sleeping bag, he left it crumpled on the floor.

You were surprised. Glancing at Toshi, he didn't seem to know what it was about either. Instead he made his way to the door.

"The others should be done soon, I'll see how it went." He left, which meant you and Aizawa were alone. You stood there, waiting for him to speak. He seemed to be lost in thought, eyebrows furrowed and a strange downturn to his mouth. Maybe he didn't know how to begin?

"Summer break is coming up."

" _That's what he wanted to talk about?_ " You shifted in place, not sure what to say. "Yes. I have a remedial class with some of the general education students."

"You've heard that class 1A and B are doing a boot camp?"

"...yeah. The kids have been chatting about it nonstop."

"Only a select few are going. Not even All Might knows the location." You still weren't sure what this had to do with anything. He looked slightly frustrated that it wasn't getting across to you. "You just became a part of UA. It isn't to say that we don't trust you..."

" _Ah._ " It clicked now. So far you had been excluded from all of the principal's plans in order to ensure the safety of the students. You were too new for him to confide in. Aizawa was trying to console you. Your expression softened with the realization.

"I'm not offended at all." His face crinkled again as if he didn't believe you.

"It seemed like something you would worry about." His concern was touching, but it really wasn't something that bothered you. In fact, UA had done more than enough to make you feel like you belonged. To put him at ease, you grinned and elbowed him in jest.

"At least I know you trust me, Aizawa." You two had come a long way from the first meeting. You thought highly of him, so it was nice to know he had grown to think of you as a friend. "I know everyone's trying to play it safe. And you should. I wouldn't want to see you become a mummy again."

"There's plenty of precaution going into this trip."

"I realize that, but still... be careful. I'd like to see your face a few more times, you know?"

* * *

Thanks for the reviews everyone! Sorry if I seem so thirsty for them, it's just super exciting when they pop up.

Messing around with the side stories, which will actually be updated weekly so I don't let the story drop. I really want more BNHA chapters to come out so I can keep the plot going. Hopefully I haven't written myself into a corner.


	13. Side Story D

Just a note to the readers: This is not a love triangle, sorry if I gave you that impression.

Paperwork.

* * *

It was a cool day out when you made your way to the teacher's lounge. You somehow got behind on grading papers, which was probably to be expected. Grading was a task you were really slow at doing. Giving the room a once over, you noticed Aizawa was there too.

"Surprising, you're usually on top of your work." He was leaning over some paperwork, head in hand. If it was possible, you would have said he looked even more lethargic than usual.

"Just not feeling well. I should have been done by now." You look at your small stack of papers compared to his large pile.

"Need help?" He seemed like he wanted to refuse, but rubbing his temple in exhaustion he thought better of it.

"If you don't mind."

"Let me finish these up and I'll start on yours." It was close to the end of the day, the sun lazily making its way to setting. Thirty minutes went by in comfortable silence, and you finished up your grading. Glancing at his, he had barely made a dent. Something was definitely wrong. "Aizawa, are you alright?" He looked up from his absent minded scribbling, but didn't seem to be all the way there.

You sighed, pressing his hair out of his face to check his temperature. A few of the students had been getting sick around campus, and you suspected he had it too. Yup, warm.

"Hold on, I have some medicine for you." You constantly carried a small stash of aspirin now, and it came in handy.

"It will sort itself out sooner or later." You rolled your eyes at his stubbornness.

"Think of it as thanks for when I was out of it." Slapping the pill in his hand, you got a tiny cup of water from the cooler that sat in a corner of the room. "Go lay down." You point him to the couch. It was there for 'emergency teacher needs'. Usually a nap for when the staff had to pull all-nighters. He didn't like that you were doing all the work, especially since it was his responsibility. You waved him off, reassuring him you would only do half. He resigned himself to your order, but instead of laying, he sat and watched you work so he wouldn't feel as bad.

"Don't be lenient on the papers." Some time had passed when you felt the need to stretch out your arms and take a break. Your bones creaked in a good way when you finally got up. You looked at the time: 5:30 pm. It had gotten late, but luckily you had no plans that day. You went to check on Aizawa, who had nodded off, still in his sitting up position. You chuckled to yourself and took a seat next to him, the couch much more comfortable than the office chair. Your own nap would be a good idea.

Closing your eyes you decided a just few minutes and you could wake him up and go home. You felt the couch cushion shift, and the weight of the sleeping teacher landed in your lap. Your eyes flew open.

"Aizawa?" You didn't dare move, whispering his name as quietly as you could. He was still unconscious, only shifting toward you to get warmer. Your face flushed pink in embarrassment, debating on if you should wake him or not.

" _He must be pretty sick if he didn't wake up._ " With your heart calming down from the shock, you decided you would let him sleep.

You didn't know where to rest your hands, slowly placing them on his back since it was the only area available. He looked really peaceful, the slow deep breaths he took made your hand rise and fall. It felt comfortable to watch him. Something that you had always wondered about came to mind. When Aizawa used his quirk his hair always looked fluffy when it floated up. You couldn't help yourself as your fingers curled in his dark tresses, every bit as soft as you imagined. You felt warm sitting like that, and lazily continued playing with his hair until you fell asleep.

xXx

"Take a picture!" The sound of giggles woke you up. You found yourself still on the couch in the office, but the sky was completely dark. You could see Kayama and Mic with smug expressions as they glanced back and forth between themselves and you. Looking down you saw Aizawa was stirring from his sleep.

" _They saw._ " The only thing stopping you from running was the weight of the head still on your lap. "What are you doing here?"

"It's seven, we came looking for you." You fumbled for your phone, seeing a few missed messages from Kaya. The last one you had sent her said you'd be late working. She mused. "I guess we shouldn't have bothered." You hastily tried to explain.

"We fell asleep grading!" You turned to Aizawa, who was now half awake. "Tell them..."

Mic snorted, seeing Aizawa's hair littered with small twists and braids. You forgot you had done it, trying anything you thought you could get away with without disturbing him. Only the areas he slept on were untouched. He was still disoriented, trying to make sense of what was going on.

Sudden realization of the obviously compromising position you two were found in hit him. Whether it was agitation or embarrassment, he went to sweep his hair from his face, surprised when he was met with resistance. You could see the tinge of red around his eyes as he glared in your direction.

"What did you do?" Thankful for the distraction, everyone's mirth glossed over the fact you had fallen asleep together. But now he was irritated, trying to take each braid out one by one. You didn't dare offer to help. Mic spotted the ungraded half of papers still on the desk.

"You didn't even do your job right." Aizawa buried his face in his hand, groaning loudly.

"Right."

xXx

The four of you split the work, each taking a quarter share. You picked up a stack, whispering softly to Aizawa who was furiously grading.

"You still feel sick?" He refused to look away from his papers.

"I'm fine now." You went to sit next to Kaya, catching a quick thank you from him.

You heard your phone blip the third paper in. Opening a text, you saw the sleeping figures of you and Aizawa. You quickly locked your phone, giving the woman next to you a glare. She snickered behind the desk, but you made a mental note to save the picture when you got home.

Paperwork end.


	14. Side Story E

Beach Vacation.

* * *

It was the first day of summer and Midnight planned out a trip to the beach. It didn't take much convincing, since it was hot even before the school went on break. You were sweating through your clothes. She suggested it when you had complained about the heat, inviting the boys to go with. Specifically, she invited Mic to get Aizawa to come.

"So you can spend time with him before the boot camp." Since it was a fun idea, you decided to let her wingman tendencies slide. You two were the first to make it there, so you chose a spot near the water to set your things. She revealed her bathing suit under her clothes; an impossibly strappy bikini that looped around in an intricate and sexy design.

"You really like that kind of thing, huh?"

"Of course. It's not just for popularity." She winked and the both of you heard a loud voice call out.

"HEEYYYY!" Mic had made it and was waving as he came closer.

"Mic! Nice job with the luggage." Kayama was referring to Aizawa, who was literally being dragged along. You looked up just as you finished placing the umbrella into the sand.

"You guys made it." Looking from Mic to Aizawa, you doubled over in laughter. His own capture weapon was looped around his body, Mic pulling him along like a leashed dog. The face he was making was the epitome of unhappiness. "Did you come here like that?" Imagining him being led around on the train popped up in your head. You leaned against Kayama for support, ignoring his death glare. "Look at him, Kaya." Pressing your face into her arm, you laughed even harder.

Once you calmed down everyone took inventory of the things they brought. Besides Aizawa, Mic had an old school boombox and plenty of diskettes for music. You and Midnight made sure to bring water, and as a surprise you had a small watermelon sitting in a chest for later.

"Are we ready to have some fun?" Kayama motioned for you to get changed. You already had on your swimsuit, taking off your shorts and top so they wouldn't get wet. In contrast with the spindly bikini, you stuck with a simple one piece. You looked to Mic who was confident as ever in a shocking speedo, and Aizawa who hadn't changed at all, still sporting his black jumpsuit.

"You aren't swimming?" He had claimed all the towels, wrapping them around himself like a cocoon.

"No."

You shrugged. Safely tucking all electronics away in a cooler compartment, the three of you splashed merrily into the water, leaving Aizawa there to guard the belongings.

After some time Kayama hung on your shoulders, keeping herself from floating off.

"I have an idea." She whispered into your ear with a wicked plan in mind, voice quiet even with the target was much to far away to hear. You gasped at her plan.

"No, that's too mean!" She grinned, eyes pleading for you to change your mind. You grinned back at her.

"Let's do it." The two of you swam back to where Aizawa was sitting. Mic was building a huge tower of sand not too far away.

"Are you sure you don't want to come in?" Kayama was trying her best to invite him politely, but he wasn't having it. "Suit yourself." You stood up, thigh deep in the water. Taking a deep breath you brought your hands back to give yourself the most leverage possible.

[eject]

It was perfect timing on your part, the tide coming in so you had more water to push forward. He never saw it coming. A large volume of salty liquid hit him dead in the face, drenching him completely. The instant he knew it was your doing you were met with an intense glare. You instinctively took a step back in the water, not sure if he would come in after you. Everyone's stuff had gotten wet, but it was worth it. You could hear peals of laughter from the other two, Mic's booming voice knocking over his own sand sculpture before trying in vain to salvage it.

With all his commotion nobody noticed Aizawa discarding his now soaked jumpsuit and heading straight for you. With a glance away from Mic and his castle, you yelped when you saw him not two feet away. Your hands instantly went back into the water so you could stop his advance with another splash, but his eyes were already flashing with that tell-tale tinge of red. Backing up half way into the ocean wasn't the fastest thing to do, and you had nowhere to run. His body dipped down as he hoisted you on his shoulder, arm curling around your legs securely so you couldn't get away.

"Help!" He kept trudging toward deeper waters and you could only look at midnight and Mic's shocked faces. Aizawa shifted his hands to your hips and threw you as far as he could. **[splash]**

Your head popped up a few seconds later. You were sure you could see a satisfied grin on his face.

xXx

With the towels and clothes set out to dry everyone took a break. Mic had picked out some American music to play in the background, and you pulled out the watermelon for everyone.

"So you were prepared for the beach after all." Aizawa was lazing about again, this time dressed in a long pair of swimming trunks he had obviously been wearing under his clothes. He didn't answer your comment. Soon Mic convinced Aizawa to help him with his sand work. Midnight wanted to go back into the water, but you decided to stay and take a nap. You drifted off quickly in the warm sun.

"Hey, hey!" Mic shook you awake, grinning like a fool. Aizawa's head was sticking out from the sand, his body completely buried. He was also asleep, apparently content. A laugh escaped you.

"M-Mic... he's going to be so mad." You scooted over to get a better look. Your face stared at his expectantly. With the feeling of two sets of eyes on him, he woke up. His face darkened when he realized what happened. Kayama came back from her swimming.

"What are you doing? The tide is coming in soon." You and Mic jumped. The tide! Scrambling to get Aizawa unburied, you thought it would be nice to come back again with everyone.

Beach Vacation end.


	15. Fearing the Worst

Fearing the worst.

* * *

You were in the middle of a lesson when the announcement came over the loudspeakers. An emergency. Something had gone wrong during the summer camp, and all the teachers were called. You looked to the students and steadied your voice, telling them not to worry and to get home safely. But once they left you ran to the principal's office as fast as you could, scarcely able to breathe.

"The students were attacked. We have word it was the league of villains, and luckily they were able to keep them at bay." The principal spoke quickly. "The police are on the way to collect the injured. I would like some of you to go as well."

You, Recovery Girl, and Present Mic sat in a police car in silence. Your hands were shaking, worried about the students. Worried about Aizawa.

" _How did they find them?_ " Your throat was so dry it was difficult to swallow. Recovery Girl sat next to you, and kindly placed her small hand over your own.

"It will be alright, dear. Young Yamada here can make sure to gather the students to him. Your speed can deliver needed medicine and supplies. We will all do our part." You nod. The rest of the car ride was filled with tense silence.

xXx

When you arrived you could see some students already. The police had set up a rudimentary infirmary where the injured were gathered. Recovery Girl handed you some supplies and made her way to them. Taking a deep breath you made your way around the area. Some needed medicine; others were still coughing up poison gas. If they seemed especially weak you personally saw that they got to Recovery Girl. Your body was tense with worry. You could hear Mic in the distance looking for more students. One of the girls caught your eye, the front of a large group of students all trying to take care of each other. Uraraka!

"You're all right?" She held tight to her friend's hand, another girl you recognized from 1A. "You too. Do you hurt anywhere?" You had a few bottles of water that you handed them.

"It's Tsuyu. We're fine." They were leaning on each other for support. Looking to the boys in the group, your eyes widened in shock.

"Midoriya." He looked mangled, completely broken. You did what you could with the pain medication, but he needed real help. "Get him checked out, quickly." You pointed to the tent behind you and urged them to go. What did he go up against to get that bad? You tried to keep calm in front of the students, but inside you felt like you were spinning.

"I don't think Aizawa Sensei was hurt." You turned back to find Tsuyu looking at you. Her eyes were calming, her tone reassuring. You nodded. After a deep breath you went over your supplies. There didn't seem to be many more children missing. Mic saw you from a distance and waved you over. He pointed to an area near the recovery points and you caught a flash of scruff and familiar tired eyes. Your feet moved before you could think. You ran toward Aizawa, who was carrying the last of the injured students in.

"You're okay...!" Your voice cracked and you could only stand in front of him holding back a sob. He was surprised to see you. Nothing was wrong with him, nothing was broken. Your eyes welled up with tears, the relief pouring out into large droplets that ran down your face. "I'm sorry, it just won't stop." You tried to wipe them away. With all the emotions you had ever thrown at him, tears were never one of them. He sighed softly, resting a palm on the top of your head to calm you down. His hand was warm and gentle, and his closeness so reassuring that you could only cry harder.

He was safe.

xXx

"Even if we had recognized a threat..." Midnight's voice was low and stern. You watched the conversation carefully, but it was difficult to pay attention. It was a tense meeting with the principal and a select few teachers.

"While they were desperately fighting..." Toshinori seemed more angry than you would have guessed possible. Thoughts were jumbled, and it wasn't like you could add anything to help. It seemed to be a problem they were dealing with for a while.

"It's indisputable, among us there is a traitor" You turned toward Mic. He was fuming. Of course he was mad. It was the second time his friend had been caught in a villain attack. His students were hurt. But... a traitor?

" _Is that it? Should we be at each others throats?_ " You couldn't imagine anyone at UA being a traitor. Something in the back of your mind made you ache. Wouldn't you be most suspected? Or did they have their suspicions before this? The only person who trusted you for sure was Aizawa. And he was off with Blood King at the police station, telling them the events from camp.

"Mic, cut it out." Midnight cut into his tirade. He had been rambling about the students being the culprit. The conversation shifted again as everyone waved the accusations away. It did no good to stop trusting each other. Toshinori excused himself when his phone rang. Taking the opportunity, you spoke up.

"I can't really prove my innocence either, but I've come to trust all of you..."

"I'm not suspecting anyone specific." Mic was pouting, and obviously feeling guilty. You caught his eyes and he mouthed the words 'sorry'.

The door burst open with All Might's return. His smile had an edge behind it, making it almost scary. The location of the villains who attacked was known. With this new information, a plan could be put in place. The look Toshinori gave was something you had never seen on his features before.

"We can pay them back."

xXx

You watched from the sidelines as Blood King, Nedzu and Aizawa were bombarded with questions. It was a tough time for them, all of Japan blaming UA for the attacks. It seemed like a never ending nightmare. Aizawa represented the school well, his reasons for authorizing the children for combat and his trust in Bakugou's dream to becoming a hero. They didn't want to take his word, but you believed in his decisions. You waited patiently for them in a side room. Aizawa was the first to come back, collapsing into a space next to you. With his hair slicked back you could see the creases in his forehead. His emotions were still riled up it seemed.

"I hate the press" You nodded sympathetically. He fussed with his hair until it fell down naturally once again. You felt much better looking at the Aizawa you were used to, but the effect of his messy tresses and his suit quickened your heartbeat. Your jaw tensed in an attempt calm yourself down. Ever since the camp incident, it was difficult to be near him. It wasn't until you found him safe you realized your interest in him was something more than friendship. It was easy to avoid him at UA, but with the 'plan' in action you had no excuses to leave. You weren't sure if the feeling toward your coworker was a crush, but you were hyper aware of his every move.

"Are you that worried?" He had taken your tenseness in the wrong way and sat up so he could lean closer to you. It was his way of trying to seem more sincere, but the way his arm lightly brushed yours was almost too much. "The school will find Bakugou. You can trust the principal."

"Yeah..." Your voice was barely audible. You wanted to ask if he was worried about the boy. You had seen the extra care he gave to the fiery kid, making sure he never got ahead of himself. But the words wouldn't come. Principal Nedzu came into the room with Blood King, sighing with relief to be out of the public eye. They looked as downtrodden as Aizawa did.

"Everything should be proceeding as we speak."

The four of you collected your things to return to the school when Blood King stopped in shock. He pointed to the TV. It was All Might. The buildings were destroyed, completely trampled like toys across a floor. Your body froze when the All Might you were looking at became Toshinori. What was happening? He was fighting against a villain, one with incredible power. You were unable to tear your eyes from the screen. Nobody was speaking. He was bleeding so, so much.

" _Don't die._ "

You watched helplessly as he took more hits. The world was moving in slow motion, but the scenes flashing on the news were going to fast. Toshi – trying his best to save the city. Your heart hurt so much. He couldn't lose, could he?

" _Please don't die._ "

* * *

One more chapter of the main story left!

Thanks to the reviewer who said my writing seemed melodic. I try to emulate a nice flow, but I get carried away with commas sometimes and forget to end sentences.

As always, tell me what you think. I'm _really_ excited for the next chapter. I hope it gets the intended reaction.


	16. Soft

Soft.

* * *

"Toshi!"

It took both Midnight and Mic all their strength to stop you from breaking the infirmary to find him. You were finally let in after two other visitors had left. He was laying in bed, feet hanging over the rail since he was too tall. When you saw him, you breathed a sigh of relief. Aside from his arm sitting in a sling, he seemed to be alright.

"I had to see for myself you were okay."

"I've worried everyone." He looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry to say I can't be All Might anymore." Your hand shot out to pull his head toward yours. You bumped his forehead with your own rather roughly, his sunken eyes widening in surprise.

"Don't be dumb. All you need to be is Toshinori." For a few moments the two of you sat together, your mind wondering what you would have done if he died. He had become a dear friend in such a short time. Not as the hero All Might, but just him. Letting him fall back you gave him a stern look. "There are some things that only you can do, you know?" He looked at you curiously.

"Take care of your reckless kid."

"...I know I've been slacking." He slid his phone off the bedside table. "It's something I plan on fixing." He paused for a moment, a small blush on his pale cheeks. "Did you call Midoriya my child?"

"Is he not?" You smiled at his flustered actions, talking to him about anything that came to mind for a few more hours. Just like old times.

xXx

It was a new day and you and Present Mic were waiting on Aizawa. He was designated to do home visits for class 1A along with Toshinori, who was on his way to pick up their car. The plan was to make sure he looked professional enough that the parents might go along with the school's dorm room proposition. Your fingers drummed the table as you waited for him to finish changing. Mic was humming to himself, content as always. He didn't notice your unease. It was still somewhat awkward for you to be around Aizawa, a fact that you hated. You felt like you were ruining your friendship, and you really missed spending your off time in his company. It would take a while, but you already decided to push your interest out of mind; he didn't seem the type for romance, anyway.

"YEAH. Looking sharp!" Mic loudly approved of Aizawa's look as he stepped out into view. It was the second time you've seen him dressed up, and you had to agree with Mic. He pulled off a suit well. You allowed yourself an internal blush. You couldn't expect to drop your feelings just like that.

Reaching up toward his locks, you give them a tap.

"Your hair leaves something to be desired though." He had slicked it back again, giving off an office man vibe. It was the only thing that looked... off. During the interview he sported the same style.

"I can fix it for you." Mic gave you a pat on the back and excused himself with a smile. Gathering some supplies nearby, you motion for Aizawa to sit and wait. You made your way behind him and began your work. He sighed softly when your hands ran through his hair. " _Be a good friend._ " You took a deep breath, focusing on thoughts of the lovely platonic friendship you already had with him.

"Are you afraid to face them?" Your voice was quiet, matching the slow strokes of the brush. "The parents, I mean." He had a variety of tangles to get through. You smiled to yourself, imagining he probably just wet his hair and pushed it out of the way. It was low-effort enough for him to do. Working slowly you removed each knot, taking care to not cause any pain.

"Not afraid. But I'm worried they'll say no." You ran your hand through once more to make sure it was smooth. Another sigh. You weren't sure if it was from the stress he was under or if he liked the feeling of someone playing with his hair. You shook the thought away. "Those kids have the potential to be great heroes."

"I know", you told him. Watching them fight during the exam was amazing. Now free of tangles, you twisted the hair band from your wrist and pulled half of his locks into a loose bun. Finished, you tipped his head back so you could face him. "You're a good person, Shouta. A good hero; a good teacher..." You hoped he didn't mind so much you called him by his first name. It had rolled off your tongue easily, like it wasn't the first time you've said it. "It will be fine."

You could hear his soft breathing while he looked up at you, eyes not wavering from yours. A serious look. Maybe he didn't need your concern, and was angry? It was always you who needed comfort, even when he was the one in trouble. Like back at the camp. You just wanted to return the favor for once and actually be a good friend to him. His eyes were still on yours, and you were strangely aware of his clean laundry scent. For a moment you faltered, worried you had offended him. " _Did I say something wrong?_ "

With a tenderness he reached up to kiss you.

It was soft, so light you weren't completely sure he had done it. His lips were a whisper on yours, and after a brief pause he gave you another one just like it. It was unexpected, and unlike how you would have thought him to kiss. You let out a faint sigh of pleasure. At the sound he shifted positions and his kiss became more intense, more needed. A deep growl escaped from his throat and you felt a shiver of heat run up your body. Both of his hands were in your hair now, pulling you closer. The faint thought of not messing up your work passed through your mind, and your own hands grasped weakly at the fabric of his button down. He grazed your lips and nipped at them until you lost breath; he took complete control. He kissed the way he battled. One step ahead at every moment, and never letting up until he won. You felt lightheaded. His pace slowed before giving you one last unbearably light kiss and breaking free. Only the sound of your heavy breathing gave away that anything had happened. He left quickly without a word. It wouldn't be until later that he would notice he forgot his suit jacket.

Every part of your body burned hotly. Your face where he touched you, your lips where he kissed you. Your hands felt strangely empty now that they weren't pressed into his shoulders. Thoughts of friendship and romance blurred together. What just happened? You could only form one coherent thought:

" _fuck._ "

* * *

This was absolutely embarrassing to write.

I will be putting up side stories once a week, probably on Sundays. Still open to suggestions, but I got some lovely ideas from user Bubin.

They will be set in between the main story, sort of like the silly stuff you didn't get to see.

Until then I'll be racking my brain and waiting for BNHA to come out!

Tell me what you think, and thanks for reading.


	17. Troublesome Feelings

Troublesome feelings.

* * *

" _Unprofessional_."

Aizawa Shouta was worrying at a higher degree than usual. His normally calm persona was shattered every time he thought back to the day of the home visits. Through some lapse in control and judgment, he had done the unthinkable. Toward a coworker. At his place of work.

The coworker in question was exceptionally supportive that day, and he couldn't help but fall prey to impulse at hearing his name. The man chided himself at his weakness. Something as simple as a first name and a kind smile was the thing that broke him. She always called All Might in such a familiar fashion, so it shouldn't have been that special.

Except it was.

He decided focus on the task at hand instead. Due to some miracle, all the students were able to move into the dorms. Perhaps even more shocking, his position as a teacher was safe for the moment. His pupils were waiting on him now, and there were some important matters he wished to express. Matters of trust.

xXx

Another day, another message. Midnight wasn't a hero that liked to be ignored, but it was your only option until you could sort your feelings out. Luckily it was summer, and the remedial classes were already finished. Because of the transition to move all the students into dorms there was even less for you to do until the new semester. Still, it didn't stop your friend from trying to keep in touch.

Normally you would offer to help out with class 1A. Aside from Mic, everyone was prepping for the hero license exam. Your phone buzzed with yet another text:

-You haven't been around much. Everything okay?

-Busy with hero duty. See you soon.

It wasn't a lie. You had asked the principal if you could take on more villain cases, to which he readily obliged. It was almost depressing. In the time spent at UA, you thought you were growing as a person, becoming more confident in your quirk and yourself. Yet here you were, keeping the peace as a hero only because it was a good excuse to run away.

You were at a loss of how to face Aizawa. It was a long shot to say he kissed you out of stress. It seemed even more impossible for him to do it on purpose.

" _Which one do I want it to be?_ " What a stupid question. You still shivered when you remembered his touch. There was no denying the feeling; you liked Aizawa. But you knew him, and his practicality. You were afraid of what he would say.

With a sigh, you searched your pockets for the small bottle of pills that were always with you. It was about time for the next dose of medication. You were using them more now with all the villain work, despite knowing how reckless it was.

" _Just until I can face him._ "

That's what you wanted to believe, anyway. Who knew how many more days you would put it off, making one excuse after another. Pushing back the dull ache in your body, you continued on the hunt for the target villain of the day.

xXx

The students were doing well trying to create their special moves. Although it was still summer, they were slightly worried about not seeing a certain teacher around.

"Should we ask Midnight sensei?" They whispered among themselves until someone decided to bring it up.

"No, she tells me she wants to focus on villain work." Their teacher turns to Aizawa, her own instincts telling her that something wasn't right. "Hey, what about you, have you seen her lately?" He visibly stiffened at the question.

"Focus on improving. Some of you need all the time you can get."

Midnight paused, the only one to notice his strange behavior. The kids continued with their lesson, a new fire lit in them. Present Mic came around, looking pale as he went to speak with Midnight. His voice was uncharacteristically hushed.

"I've tried talking to her. I promised I wouldn't say a thing, but I'm worried." Midnight's face scrunched up at his panic.

"Worried? About what?"

A small shiver went up Mic's spine as a hand touched his shoulder, interrupting their conversation.

"Yes, about what exactly?"

xXx

You tried to remember when the last visit to Recovery Girl was. Two days ago was your best guess. Biting your lip, you cursed silently that it wasn't longer. Chiyo was a shrewd lady. If you visited the infirmary too often, she would know right away something was wrong.

You were using your quirk faster than you and the pills could recover your body. Mic had pleaded with you to stop and tell him what was wrong. To tell somebody, if not him. But the one person you would have talked to was already coming to terms with his retirement and vulnerability. And you wanted to avoid the 'I told you so' snickering from the other two.

Still, you knew this had to stop eventually.

Walking down a hall, you were stopped by the one man you were trying to avoid.

"I've been looking for you." His voice was low so as to not attract attention from the students. You didn't meet his intense gaze.

"Oh, really?" You could tell he wanted to keep this conversation private, the flash in his eyes felt too serious, too dangerous.

"First, I have to apologize to you about... before. I wasn't thinking clearly." There it was. Hearing he didn't mean to kiss you was a deeper blow than you anticipated. The small bit of hope you were holding on to was almost funny. The whole thing, even.

"But more importantly-"

"You kiss people like that because you can't think?" You cut him off in disbelief. This always careful, forever serious hero didn't have a _reason_. "No. I guess I understand."

A lie. You couldn't understand at all how a man like Shouta could not mean that intimate moment.

"It's no problem. Forget it happened." Another lie. You didn't want him to forget at all. His taste was burned into your memory, and here he was saying that it was a mistake. You had to leave, scarcely able to pull together a smile. He reached out for your arm, still having more to say. Not that you wanted to listen.

He was surprised when you used your quirk on him, pushing him away. Your feet moved on their own, needing to find a place to be alone. Your body was hurting too much now, but you didn't want to see Recovery Girl. Ducking into an empty classroom, your hands shook as you tried to open the small pill bottle you kept in your pocket.

It was reckless to fire off your quirk again. You dry swallowed two of the tablets. Somebody snatched the bottle from your hand before you could put it away.

xXx

Aizawa read the label carefully before handing the medication back to you, his eyes dark. He had followed you when you left unceremoniously, something you didn't notice in your fervor.

"So it's true."

"You didn't need to know." You shoved the bottle back in your pocket, your tone curt.

"I see." His voice fell flat, clearly hurt. He seemed disappointed you hadn't trusted him, but there was something else too. Anger. "I would appreciate it if everyone would stop lying to me. It certainly seems to be the trend." Despite the fact he never raised his voice, his words were laced with malice. "My students. Hizashi. You."

A part of you felt guilty, but it was quashed under your own explosive feelings.

"Why are you even upset, Aizawa? Our entire friendship was an _accident,_ after all." You practically spat out the accusation. You knew you were being terrible, too defensive. But you didn't understand why he was so interested in your well-being now. " _Why can't he go away_?"

"I'm not the one endangering everyone with my impetuous behavior. Or did you expect me to be around the next time your quirk gets out of control?"

You moved backward until you hit the blackboard, unable to go any further. Aizawa followed every step, effectively cornering you. He was frustratingly right about everything. Bending down low, his hair formed a curtain that blocked your view of anything but him.

It was difficult being forced to look him in the eye. Your hands quickly met his chest, intending to push him away. To your annoyance you could feel the slight floating sensation that came off him as he locked away your quirk. His red irises transitioned back to a pool of black when you realized it was useless. _You_ were useless.

"You're right. It's not your job anymore." You sighed, knowing that it wasn't fair to expect any mutual feelings. You were a terrible person and an even worse friend.

"You're going to hurt yourself." His anger had cooled somewhat, giving rise to something akin to concern. Still, you knew he wouldn't let you off the hook for being so reckless.

" _Why?_ " Your hands lingered on his chest, fingers curling around the strips of cloth that hung loosely around his neck. How could he still be so kind? "You are the last person I want to make worry about me..."

It was Aizawa who stepped back now, realizing just how close he was.

"Again, I'm sorry. I never meant to impose myself on you."

"No. You never..? I never thought..." Your brows furrowed in confusion. How did he come to that conclusion?

"Why else would you avoid me?"

* * *

This will be interesting, since I have no idea where I'm going with this. Eventually I'll be moving the chapters around so the sidestories will have a vague place in the plot instead of being clumped together.

Thanks for sticking with this weird little story, readers.


	18. Paper Over the Cracks

Paper over the cracks.

* * *

" _Why else would you avoid me?_ "

His question caused you to freeze in place. There were many reasons for it, all that you couldn't tell him. " _Because I like you. Because on the off chance there was something between us, you would still say no because being a hero comes first._ " His dark eyes looked genuinely confused. Who in their right mind would confess after breaking their crush's trust? You, apparently.

"I..." The words were on the tip of your tongue. Light suddenly filled the shadowy classroom, causing the both of you to jump back from one another.

"I'm so sorry, wrong class! I didn't see anything!" The student that intruded quickly slammed the door again. You could hear the panicked footsteps grow quieter until the sound disappeared. It was too late now, though. Heart pounding, there was no way you could continue when someone could walk in at any moment.

No words were exchanged, but you both silently agreed to continue the conversation later.

xXx

Principal Nedzu refused to give you more than a certain number of villain cases a week now, fully aware of your health predicament. Many of the teachers were also telling you to take it easy. You vaguely wondered if this is how Toshinori felt on the days he spat more blood than usual.

"So, did something happen?" Midnight took you out with her on your first free day off. You were relieved when she invited you to shop, grateful for the distraction. _Something_ ; now that was an understatement. With Aizawa being so busy with the students you still hadn't properly spoken with him.

"Yeah." You already apologized to Mic and Toshinori for keeping secrets. Especially Mic, who was torn up about his own silence on the matter. Kayama walked next to you, hand leisurely running through the clothes that stuck out from the store fronts as she thought.

"You seem alright now, health wise."

"It was only because I was doing too much."

"You never told me why." How many people would have stuck around for you? Both her and everyone else were too good as friends. You silently thanked them for it.

"A... lot of things happened. Sorry I kept you out of it." With a deep breath you confessed all the thoughts that were bottled up. "I don't understand him, Kaya. He's not the kind of man that's intimate on a whim. Then he says he's sorry, that he 'imposed'. But-"

"He did _what_."

xXx

The two of you sat inside a busy cafe, taking a break with a shared parfait. Midnight already had a few bags collected from the outing, and it was still pretty early in the day.

"The entire time I've known him, he's never done things without meaning to."

"He _said_ it was an accident."

"Of course he would say that after the person he likes ran away."

"I... what?"

"How are you two so dense? It's obvious you like one another." She rolled her eyes for emphasis. It seemed so clear to her, but you didn't agree.

"I've never seen him like anyone!" You covered your face in shame. "Besides, I already messed up. He probably hates me!" You didn't apologize or explain yourself yet. He was still mad at you. "If he doesn't hate me already."

"Go ask him yourself, then." You choked at her comment. Her eyes sparkled with a plan only she could understand forming in her head. "Yes, and we'll get you the perfect outfit to do it in!"

xXx

Class 1A and their teacher were already at Takoba stadium. And you were on your way as well.

The only way to get to there quickly was by the train. You listened to the various chatter about your destination. It seemed a big event for the locals to bet on which school would have the most passing students. When the right stop came, you quickly disembarked with some nervousness.

What would you say to him when you saw Aizawa face to face? Wrapped in your thoughts, you bumped into the person in front of you on the platform.

"Sorry.." The man stiffened, dropping something. He bent to pick it up, your heart skipping when you made out the shape. It got quickly pocketed, but the man caught your shocked stare.

A hand. A human hand.

Grey white hair peeked out from his black hood. His eyes were red, but nothing like Aizawa's. " _He's scary. Scary, scary..._ " Your own hand reached slowly for your cell phone.

Thoughts raced in your head. What did he want? Were you being targeted? Or was it the exam takers they were after? _Was he alone_? Instinctively you knew he was dangerous. You counted yourself lucky that Midnight was the last person you texted. She knew where you were, so the message could be kept brief.

-SOS.

His eyes focused on the small UA charm that dangled from your phone, suddenly making you regret the purchase. The way he smiled sent shivers of fear up your spine. The second you pressed send, the cell was ripped out of your hands.

 _He was fast._

You prayed that your call for help went through before the enemy turned it to dust before your eyes.

"Are you a new player? Did you come to fight?"

"Who are you? Why are you here?" You were in a terrible situation, having come here in civilian clothes. He seemed annoyed that you didn't recognize him.

"Not from UA? I thought you might be interesting, but looks like you're just an NPC." All the people in the station already scattered, except for one other that looked to be his ally. "Don't ruin my fun."

He sped at you, hand reaching for your face. The image of the phone disintegrating was strong in your mind. Was it only from his hands? Regardless, you didn't want to let him touch you. You managed to dive backward to the ground, grabbing hold of the folds in his sweatshirt and the sleeve of the outstretched hand. Kicking a leg up, you tossed him over your head with the help of your quirk. With barely a day of forced rest, you would hardly last long. The other person who stayed came at you with the intent to kill. You rolled away as his body smashed down where you had been laying. With a sharp intake of breath, you bit back a cry of pain.

The attacker began to shake, sprouting tough scaly skin like a crocodile. You didn't keep looking to see if his teeth were also changing. The gray haired man came back from his shock at being thrown.

"You heroes won't even let me watch the event?" He was definitely talking about the temporary license exam. It would be suicide for them to attack an entire stadium full of quirk users, but still. You couldn't trust him to _only_ be a spectator. He didn't seem the type to hide away for long. You used your quirk for the second time to avoid him before the crocodile man tried to tackle you again.

He wasn't nearly as dangerous, but it was hard to fight them both. With your third attack you pushed the scale ridden body away, focusing on the real threat. Four, five, six times you blasted off waves of [eject] to stop those hands from touching you.

At number seven, you could feel the strain on your heart. Weak... your pulse felt weak. Like lightning that hand grabbed your shoulder, and in an instant there was pain. You never imagined the feeling of crumbling, but it was terrifying. His other hand dug into your shin in attempt to pin you down. Despite the pain as the air hit your muscle and bone, you pushed him away with blast number eight... and finally lost control.

xXx

Handsy hit the wall, surprised that his grip was broken. You heard another crash behind you, probably the sound of the other man hitting the tracks in a failed sneak attack.

"Kurogiri won't like it if I make a big scene." Spitting in contempt, the gray haired man turned his head toward his companion, and yelled out an order. "Take care of this, I'm gone."

The crocodile didn't seem to like that very much. He tried to climb back on the platform and get around you to follow the man that left him behind.

Your injuries were beginning to bleed now, flecks of blood getting pushed outward by your quirk. " _I can't let him leave too._ "

It was difficult to get up, but you managed somehow. It took all your strength to shuffle forward. Being closer to the exit, you blocked off his escape.

"Get out of the way, bitch." His words meant nothing; he couldn't get past. You didn't know how long it would be until Midnight would be here, but you also knew she couldn't help you. Even before hitting your limit, you were in bad shape. Hah. You were probably going to die.

" _Sorry, Shouta._ "

You laughed and took a step toward the villain. " _I should have told him._ " It was getting hard to take a full breath, but you kept moving. Two more steps, one more. Your adversary had nowhere to run, his heels making contact with the wall you were pushing him into. He screamed, begging you to stop. "It hurts, doesn't it?" If you were going to die, then you had to make sure this guy couldn't do anything afterward.

His head hit the wall, caught between the pressure of your quirk and smooth concrete. What would give out first? Unable to keep up your shallow breaths, you fell. You were sure the man was still screaming, but it all seemed like a dream. Everything looked dim, and you could only focus on the low hum that resonated from your bubble.

"I'm sorry." You thought of Toshinori, of Kayama and Mic. Whispering out your apologies, you thought of Shouta. "I'm so, so sorry."

Still laboring with pain and feeling so utterly alone, everything stopped.

* * *

Taking a big leap with the story here. I hope it stays interesting to you readers... tell me what you think?

I'm more nervous about this than any other chapter. Hah!


	19. Rest for the Weary

Rest for the weary.

* * *

It was quiet when you opened your eyes. " _Where am I?_ " You tried moving, but found it was impossible without every inch of your body aching. Turning your head as far as you could, you scanned the room. A figure sleeping on a chair in the corner caught your attention.

"Toshinori."

Your voice came out hoarse, weaker than you expected. Still, the tall blonde jumped awake in confusion. The relief on his face was heartwarming.

"Good to see you. Stay here, I'll get Chiyo." You managed to let out a short laugh.

"Where would I go?" Soon Recovery Girl was there, explaining your injuries.

"Your body is working again, but just barely." She spent most of your energy repairing any internal damage. Sepsis from toxins building up in the blood. The blood itself pooling out of the veins. Your shoulder was still in bad shape, and your shin wasn't much better off. They would be the last things to be healed. "There might be some long term damage. I don't know how long you were without oxygen." The old woman rubbed her eyes in worry. "You are lucky. You should be dead."

Toshinori came back in and gently asked how you were doing. "You have visitors, if you're up to it." Midnight rushed in, immediately apologizing. "I should have gotten there faster." Aizawa and Mic were there too, albeit much calmer.

"I'm still alive." You asked what happened after your fight.

The second Midnight received your message, she made her way to the station calling every number of nearby heroes. In the middle of the exam, Aizawa slipped away to get you. You were barely conscious when he arrived, unresponsive to their words. It was a miracle you made it out alive. Your friends looked uneasy about continuing.

"The villain you fought.. he didn't make it." The words rang in your ears.

Dead.

A part of you felt sick. This was different from not saving a person... you killed him. And you meant to do it. Did they understand you were desperate? Was the look in their eyes showing concern for you or for what they thought you might do in the future? An uneasy fear gripped you. You bit your lip, trying to keep yourself from panicking. Before the point of drawing blood, you remembered to ask about the man who got away. Their surprise meant he got away undetected.

"There was another villain?"

"He crumbled things just by touching them." All three of them were shocked, eyes glued to Aizawa. His jaw was set in a grimace. They explained how he was attacked by the same villain, along with a huge creature that injured him badly enough to need weeks of healing. Luckily that wasn't the case for you.

"He must have disappeared afterward. Maybe they were scouting for allies?"

" _So it was all for nothing..._ " You let such a dangerous man go. Maybe it would have been better to kill him instead...

" _No. I didn't want to kill anyone._ " It was an accident. " _But if I hadn't been exhausted already..._ " Toshinori noticed your silence and tried to change the subject.

"You do get to go home soon, well, sort of. Isn't that great?"

Yes. How lucky. Once a day you would make the trip to Recovery Girl so she could heal your injuries a tiny bit at a time. Healing everything at once was more than enough to kill you.

"Your apartment is too far, so you'll be staying at the dorms."

"And we will be checking up on you, so you don't die on us on accident."

"Is that necessary?"

"You can barely move. If you get worse, we'll be there."

xXx

Present Mic was the one to escort you to the teacher's dorms. Opening the door, you saw a simply furnished area consisting of a living room, bedroom, and small toilet. Much like the student counterpart, there was a shared kitchen and bath on the first floor. There was a place set up for you on the low couch that sat up against the wall. Even with taking your time, the walk here sapped all your energy.

"This isn't your place is it?" It seemed too empty to be his, you would have guessed that he was more showy than that. But it was still clearly occupied.

"Nah, it's Shouta's." What you wanted to do was turn quickly toward the door, but gentle pressure from Mic was all it took to keep you still. "He's hardly here, it will be like your own place."

"And he's okay with it?" Mic gave you a strange look, which you returned with your own quizzical one. "Yes, he's fine with it." The lilt in his voice gave the impression there was no way it could be untrue. Honestly, you were too tired to argue. The bed was more than inviting to your tired body.

Before leaving, he assured that you would get some personal items soon. "The both of you are blaming yourselves too much. Just... rest." After waiting for his footsteps to disappear, you collapsed on your 'bed'. Everything seemed to hit you at once. You were alive. In Aizawa's home. And you were a murderer.

You had to be the only one in UA to have that title. You put yourself and others in danger with your quirk. It was everything that a hero shouldn't do, would never do. Mic was wrong; it _was_ all you fault. With better health, you wouldn't have been pushed into a corner. Did they blame you? Did they think you were less of a hero for killing a man? Your shoulders heaved as small sobs gave way to big, heaving ones. The pain from your muscles tightening were well deserved. It was lucky that Aizawa didn't spend much time at home. You were crying and just couldn't stop.

All the emotion poured out until you were too exhausted and no more tears could fall. With no more energy you fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

I got a lot of lovely comments for the last chapter, thank you so much! I think I know where this crazy train is headed, but sorry if it seems so dark right now. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!


	20. The Sound of Your Actions

The sound of your actions.

* * *

The covers felt too heavy on your aches and pains. For a moment you were confused, sure that last night you were curled up on _top_ of the bed. Cautiously pushing yourself up, you saw the soft floral blanket that came from your apartment. Looking around, you also noticed a familiar bag on the table.

" _Mic must have come back last night._ " Your cell was broken, but the clock on the wall said it was three in the morning.

The first thing was to go to the bathroom. It was an arduous task, even rising from the couch had you wincing in pain. The reflection staring back at you was pitiful. It was a good thing you were asleep, the tears would be have been harder to notice then. After a quick rinse of your face, you heard the front door open.

"Aizawa? G-good morning."

" _What is he doing up?_ " You kept your face down, hoping to god he wouldn't notice how puffed and red your eyes were. He was more focused on his own exhaustion, making a strange sound in greeting rather than an actual response. Instead he opened the parcel he was carrying and searched the contents.

"Take these now, and these after you eat." He pressed a variety of medicine into your palm, and placed a plate of food on the table. "They said you'll sleep heavily. One of the others will be here to take you to Recovery Girl this afternoon." His tone was strangely professional, too impersonal for your liking.

You flinched when he reached toward your bandages, an act that didn't go unnoticed by him.

"You've bled through them already." Sure enough almost every bit of white gauze was soaked in blood. You were afraid to look at the state of the couch, although the rest of your arm seemed clean enough. He carefully unwrapped the bindings from your shoulder, focusing on the damage. While he worked, you took your first set of pills.

There was an awkward silence as he finished. He wasn't talking to you at all unless it was instructions on where to move. You weren't about to interrupt him, either. Kneeling down he surveyed the wound on your leg. His hair was noticeably damp, like he just finished with a bath. " _Did he just now get home?_ ", you wondered.

The food he brought was a simple, healthy meal. You picked at it to distract yourself from light touch of Aizawa's fingers resting on your thigh as he applied the various medicines to your wound. Breathing in slowly, you thought it might be a good time to talk to him.

"Your back now." He worked too fast. The sudden motion to stand made the words die in your throat, and you decided to stay silent. If you had more energy, you might have been embarrassed as you struggled to lift up your shirt. The sharp intake of breath was one indication of how it must have looked. As his fingertips swept the length of spine, the pain made you pull away.

"Is it bad?"

"Scratches. Bruising. It will heal in time." He didn't say any more, and you didn't realize he left until the sound of his bedroom door clicked shut. Your heart hurt with the brevity.

xXx

A paltry two hours of sleep later Aizawa found himself awake again. This was nothing new, he was used to bouts of insomnia from his terrible sleep schedule. But he wasn't used to the guest that was passed out in the front room.

The snippets of whimpering from the other room caused him to get up from bed with a groan.

His jaw set tightly when he laid eyes on the ragged form of his friend. She clutched at her shoulder in pain, half asleep and shaking slightly. Guilt. Aizawa felt so much guilt about this situation. It was because of _his_ actions that she felt the need to run away. And from the small amount that Midnight would reveal, the attack only happened because of him as well.

He found himself brushing the hair away from her forehead. Sleeping eyes fluttered open for a moment, an apology on her lips before succumbing back into sleep. Aizawa cringed.

They were the same words as when he found her slipping away at the scene, repeated over and over. The broken hero wasn't even lucid enough to know he erased her quirk, or that help had come. The only thing he could think of was his harsh words from their last conversation. " _Did you expect me to be around.._."

He hadn't meant it that way. She was normally so careful about surpassing her quirk limits. He was frustrated at himself for being the cause of that change, and any of his previous 'coaching' on how to improve suddenly seemed ill advised. The self-imposed role as caretaker was his way of apologizing for everything.

Aizawa sat down next to the makeshift bed, closing his eyes. He just wanted everything to go back to normal. If his strange displays of emotion were making things worse, then he resolved to disregard them. It would be safer for the both of them that way.

xXx

[Knock, knock] The sound of the door woke you up from a medicated unconsciousness. You inched your way to it, still dressed in the clothes from the day prior. Rubbing the sleep from your eye, you opened the door to Toshinori's bright face.

"Ah, good. Are you ready to see Recovery Girl?" His words were clear, but your brain was too fuzzy to register what he was talking about. Holding out his hand, he guided you out of the room.

It was a slow trip to the infirmary. Not only was your body sluggish, but you had to stop and catch your breath every few meters.

"I'm sorry. You have better things to do than this, I'm sure."

"Nonsense." He wasn't having your self-deprecation. "You are my friend, of course I would do this."

"Still?" You mumbled the word with some skepticism. Toshinori furrowed his eyebrows together, not hearing your discontent but worried over the way you grimaced at the word 'friend'. As the both of you reached your destination, he didn't ask what was wrong.

After the healing session, you were surprised at how much pain you had been in. Of course, everything still hurt. But the dizzying feeling you felt had lessened, and you could keep up with Toshinori better on the way back. The second time you needed to catch your breath, it was almost halfway through the walk.

"Would you like to accompany me a while longer? You probably need to eat."

The offer brought you out of your thoughts. How funny the man who barely remembered to eat was the one fussing over you. Your eyes flickered from the spot on the ground you were staring at blankly to the Toshinori's determined smile. For just a second, you thought of declining. But there was nothing besides the company of your own thoughts back in that empty, borrowed room.

"I have nothing else planned."

* * *

As things are winding down, I have a question for the readers.

One of the first people to check out this story asked if there would be... intimate relations between the characters. I was pretty much writing toward that goal, but I wondered if it would be good to keep a fluffier ending, and then a racier afterward.

Opinions would be lovely! (Though I can't promise it will be any good. Bwahaha!)


	21. Warmth

Warmth.

* * *

Following the tall man, you wondered where he was going. He said he would make something easy to eat, but started to head toward the 1A dorms rather than the teacher's building. The door wasn't even open yet and you could hear the lighthearted chatter from the students inside.

A small squeak of one of the girls bubbled out.

"All Might! Sensei!" Suddenly you were surrounded by children. Toshinori laughed, making sure their excitement didn't knock you over.

"They were worried about you." Lips curving into a slight smile, you realized this was his way of showing his concern. He held back some of the more rambunctious kids with an All Might signature grin. "No hugs today."

"Aww, but we're so happy to see you awake." Ashido pouted at his lanky form. She was visibly disappointed, never one to be subtle about expressing her feelings. You envied her openness.

"She's a hero, dumbass. She wouldn't die from a shitty villain." You winced at the choice of words.

"Thanks for the confidence."

Toshinori left to the kitchen, and some of the students followed, ready to help. Apparently this was a thing he did often, knowing exactly where to get the needed supplies and the kids falling into their tasks seamlessly. Chopping vegetables and meat, one person seasoning the food and handing it off. It was comforting to watch them. You looked on for a while before remembering the exam.

"Did you guys do well at Takoba?" The question led to a loud burst of responses.

"The Shiketsu kids were so strong!"

"Did you see my new Acid Wall special move!?" A flashy movement and pose.

"Ahh, not here Mina!"

"One guy took out over a hundred examinees. That's insane right?"

"Forget that, tell her about the pervert girl!" Only snippets of the conversation could be understood over their excitement.

You were happy to sit and listen to them, cheering at their teamwork in the face of becoming everyone's target.

"Hair-for-brains turned into a meat potato." Kirishima laughed nervously at Bakugou's words, brushing off how terrifying that sounded out loud.

"Hey, man, you were one too." Each student had their own story to tell, but you never got to hear about the rest of the exam. Plates were soon being passed around and anyone who wasn't cooking began to set the table.

Yaoyorozu gently pushed you to a seat, telling you to rest while everyone took care of things. They laughed and argued about who would sit next to All Might, about how big the portions should be, and about who was strongest out of all of them. With a light touch to your shoulder, Toshinori smiled down at you and the children.

"Are you feeling better now?"

You didn't have the words to describe how _nice_ it was to sit and enjoy being around everyone.

"Yes. Better." Turning back to the kids – who were still trying to brag about their new skills – you laughed happily at the little family they made. It made you forget, even for a little while, the mixed up feelings inside you.

You thought of how good they were as you ate, and still when you walked home.

xXx

Shouta was a hardworking man. In the past two days, you learned a lot about how he spent his time. Just as the day started he would go to teach. When night fell he would work as a hero until the early morning hours before stumbling home. It was no wonder he constantly fell asleep at even the smallest breaks. Remembering all the help he gave you in the past, you felt guilty that he sacrificed the few hours he had to rest.

Which is why you were perplexed on how he had the time for this.

"Don't fall asleep." He _had_ to be teasing you at this point. It was easy to imagine that smug grin he usually reserved for pulling a fast one over his students. Of course, you couldn't be sure since he was talking to you over the wooden barrier that separated the two baths.

"I don't think you're allowed to lecture me about sleeping."

In another difference between the student and teacher living complexes, the baths were connected. Maybe it was faster to build it that way, since teenage hormones wouldn't be a problem. They obviously forgot about fully grown adult hormones.

It was impossible to relax knowing that the man you liked was a few feet away – and nude. The first thing after eating with the kids you had insisted on a bath to wash away the smell of blood and sweat that clung to you since waking up in the infirmiry. _Nurse_ Aizawa insisted right back on you being chaperoned in case the heat caused you to pass out. Since Kayama was busy and you refused to wait another hour sitting in filth, he took it upon himself to join you.

"You haven't drowned yet, then?" Even if it took a year off your life, you wouldn't let that happen. The thought of him having to rescue you in the bath was possibly the most embarrassing thing you could think of.

"No. I'm dead now. It's too late." Your sarcasm was met with a huff. To be honest, you preferred this to the silent treatment from before. But it was still annoying. The questions eventually trailed off when he was content you weren't about to keel over and die.

The sweet quiet was short lived, however. Shifting, you propped your leg up to keep the wound from getting wet, and to give you something to focus on. It was suddenly easy to pick up on the sound of lapping water now, and even easier for a sinful mind to wander...

"Isawyourclasstoday!" The words came out rushed as you tried not to think of a lounging Aizawa on the other side of the room. You coughed to calm yourself. "They're as lively as ever."

"They didn't say anything stupid, did they?" There was an edge in his voice that wasn't there before, emphasizing the word _stupid_ like he was expecting bad news. Maybe you were imagining it.

"Only that you've been proposed to." The short splash let you know he reacted to your light teasing, and the groan that accompanied it made it clear he wasn't actually angry. You sighed in relief, not wanting to have your primary caretaker go back to impassive stares and silence.

" _Wait._ "

You were under the impression your friends were taking turns babysitting you. But aside from the afternoons when you were brought to the infirmary, he was the only one making sure you ate and took your pills.

Sure, the other two were busy, but surely Toshinori would have tried to help as well? Suddenly Mic's explanation for why you were roomed up in the first place didn't make sense. You could have been placed in an adjacent room instead. " _Why is he the one taking care of me?_ "

What was it Mic said to you before? "The both of you blame yourselves too much." _Both._ He blamed himself – was that the reason he took you in?

"Aizawa, why are doing all this?" You kept your voice as low as possible, not exactly brave enough to be any louder. "You aren't obligated to take care of me." For a while you thought maybe he didn't hear you, but his answer eventually came.

"I felt like it."

"Because you think it's your fault." The barrier between the baths was suddenly bothersome. You wanted to look at him, talk face to face. Maybe even shake him a little. Okay, maybe a lot. "You're an idiot if you think it is. I could be anywhere and get attacked by a villain. And I would get involved regardless!" Surely he remembered the day you met one another. "How many heroes force themselves to live alone? Look at Toshinori. Look at _you_!" The words were tumbling out in a brilliant panic.

Without thinking you placed your hands at the tall wooden slats that stood between you and him.

"I'm tired of everyone thinking that it's dangerous to get close to people." It wasn't until you stopped that you realized you were shouting. You fell into silence and held your breath, waiting for his answer.

A low rumble of laughter echoed out, getting louder the more your words sunk in.

"I haven't been called an idiot so seriously in over 20 years." Real, genuine laughter. Nothing like the cackle he usually fired off during a logical ruse moment. Your breath caught at the sound. As it died back down, a more somber tone took its place. "If only it was that simple. But, you aren't wrong." He sighed. "Well, I still won't be kicking you out so I might not be so bright after all."

So he wouldn't back down on helping you then...

"I'm happy to call you an idiot whenever you need it." You were sort of happy about that. Sinking back down into the water, you felt better. The heat was nice when you were fully submerged, but it was probably time to get out or Aizawa might start to get annoyed.

Ah.

Your leg.

"I GOT IT SOAKED!"

* * *

Hm. Well, this chapter feels a bit sillier than usual to me. But then again, why not? The goal is to keep Aizawa in character until the end, so as long as that happens I'm happy. Haha!

As always, opinions are more than welcome :]


	22. Scars

Scars.

* * *

Things had been going surprisingly well. You could finally take slow walks without assistance, and whether or not it was on purpose, you had been so busy that there was no room for self doubt to bubble up. In fact, yelling at Aizawa was oddly refreshing. It made you think that just maybe you could try to forget what happened. Try to use your quirk again, even.

You hadn't tried at all since waking up after that day.

Following the the large wall that surrounded UA, you found a spot away from open spaces. With a deep breath you held out your hand.

[ba-dum]

You shook slightly, body tensing.

[ba-dum]

The pain of laying down and awaiting death was too fresh, it hurt to think about it. Dropping your hand, you tried to calm down.

" _Too soon._ " It would be better to have Aizawa around, just in case. The thought of him being there made it easier to want to try again.

Was he teaching a class right now? You wondered if it was too much to ask him for help again after he already did so much. For now you would just take a walk and enjoy the day, deciding to ask him later.

Maybe you would get Midnight to go with you to replace your cell. Even better, you could treat everyone to dinner. You grinned thinking of everyone arguing and laughing over drinks again. Nothing could bring you down just then.

You should never tempt fate to prove you wrong.

You heard them first, their demands for answers loud even behind the wall. Peeking out from the entrance just enough to not be seen, you could make out the forms of camping reporters. What stood out the most was the newspapers in their hands – all sporting similar headlines.

 **Villain killed by UA teacher.**

It wasn't so simple after all. More than the students and teachers acting like nothing happened, you had the rest of the world casting their judgment. The thoughts you tried so hard to ignore came flooding back. Why? It was supposed to be okay, an accident that couldn't be helped.

You didn't know how long you were standing there, hidden away. They were arguing amongst themselves. Complaining to someone you couldn't see from your hiding spot. Drowning in panic and fear, you found it impossible to move. The students never said a word about this. Toshinori must have asked them to keep quiet, because there was no way they didn't know.

Self doubt became actual concerns as some were calling for your resignation from UA. Others were for revoking your hero license all together. They were convinced you were dangerous. Angry voices blurred into background noise as you started to lose focus.

" _I don't want to leave..._ "

Suddenly someone was pulling on your arm, causing you to flinch. They lead you away from those prying eyes and inquiring chatter to somewhere that was easier to breathe. When you finally looked up, it was Aizawa's face staring back at you.

"It's as if you want those sharks to see you." He couldn't have been the one keeping them at bay, right? But there was no other explanation to why he would be there. His grip was firm, but gentle – just enough to keep you moving forward without causing pain.

"Nobody said anything to me about this."

"You didn't need to know." The bitter of irony of those words was not lost on you. Shaking his head, he continued. "Just ignore them, they only want to stir up trouble by slandering a hero."

That word again; _hero_.

"They want me to quit." A part of you agreed with the criticism. What right did you have to stay at UA anymore, and teach students about justice? Even worse, what did _he_ think of your mess up? The man with such disdain for those who put themselves into danger, and the one who made you into someone that could save others. To be honest, it was your biggest fear. You didn't want to lose what little regard he had for you.

"Do you agree with them? Is killing to save others something heroic?" Growing quiet, Aizawa tugged on your arm once again. You followed nervously.

"You put yourself in danger." The words made your heart sink. "You were already in bad shape, and you attacked with the intent of killing. That's two strikes. The enemies were strong – one of which that has attacked UA twice now. It was stupid and reckless."

Right. There was the telltale sting in your eyes of tears threatening to form. You wouldn't cry. He was only telling the truth, after all.

"But look at everyone fighting to keep you here. Hizashi is threatening to fight the press, Nemuri is keeping them away properly so he won't cause a commotion. They're doing it for their fellow hero." You choked at his confidence. "Your remorse shows you aren't a bad person."

Maybe it wasn't too selfish to want to stay.

"You are still infuriating." Stopping his pace, Aizawa glanced back. "Stop throwing your life away. Even against that man." The way his eyebrows furrowed showed something strange in his expression. You couldn't quite read it before he continued on. What was it? That flash of something _darker_ in his eyes. He fought the gray haired man too – Tomura – you learned his name was.

Did Aizawa feel the same as you? That slight regret of wishing he could be a tiny bit less heroic, for the sake of keeping his friends and students safe. The same thought that crossed through your mind:

" _If only I could have killed him._ "

Perhaps that was why his words were the one thing that put you at ease over everyone else.

"I still have the same expectations of you, that's never changed." His grip on you tightened as he led you toward your shared housing.

Toward home.

xXx

More often than not, Aizawa was barely dressed when it came to his own personal time. He had a clear pattern of living that revolved around sleep and comfort. You never saw him late for anything, which had to be some sort of miracle or superb internal clock on his part. In the mornings he woke up with just enough time to get ready and leave, often doing things like putting his clothes on while walking out the door.

Even now, seconds after arriving to his residence, that signature jumpsuit was halfway unzipped and the sleeves tied around his waist in agitation. His first stop was fumbling around with a locked box hidden away in a corner. When he pulled out an expensive looking bottle, you understood.

"Don't think you'll be getting any." His expression was as impassive as ever, but the dry humor was back. "I need this after dealing with that crowd."

He looked nothing like a teacher just then, a generous glass of alcohol held gingerly in one hand. Sporting a white undershirt, he seemed much closer to a bar worker or a mechanic. A small part of you recognized how handsome he was, sipping on his drink and savoring the taste with an air of calm. It was a feeling you wished you could emulate.

He collapsed down on the couch – obviously forgetting that it was currently your bed – and sighed. Both of you would be happier by putting the media swarm behind you. You certainly didn't want to think about it. Instead you sat next to him, using his _habit_ as a convenient distraction.

It wasn't on purpose that you committed his body to memory, but it was hard not to when your medical care was done in his various states of undress. The weary teacher was deceptively built under his baggy clothes. You had taken him for a much slimmer man.

The most surprising thing, however, was the network of scars that adorned his body. Some were larger and unique; more likely to be remnants of a tough villain. The others were thin cuts that were so similar they must have been the result of training. Every day you could pick out one you hadn't seen before.

"Hey, Aizawa?" His eyes flickered toward you then back to his drink.

"Shouta. You might as well, considering we're living together." You wanted to laugh at that. Was it the alcohol talking already? Maybe the bond forged from mutual hate of reporters was just that strong.

"Technically that's true." You touched one of the faded scars. "Can I ask about this?" It was a perfect wide gash of 3 inches, just along his forearm. He shifted just enough to look at where you were pointing to. He thought back with closed eyes and a low hum in his chest.

"A villain who could materialize blades. We didn't know until I got stabbed with one." It was nice to listen to his recounting of the tale, even his annoyed cursing about faulty intel. He wasn't one to embellish, but the way he brushed off his feats made them sound all the more impressive.

Rolling up the short sleeves up until his arm was uncovered completely, you learned about his past fights through the cuts and patterns that marred his skin. The day he partnered with Mic to catch a woman that could melt into the surrounding water. He almost drowned after falling in, the villain catching hold of his legs. The tiny flecks that peppered his forearm were from an acid shooting quirk. His erasure was a mere moment too slow, and he paid for it. Luckily the distance minimized the damage.

"What about this one?" You were picking them out at random now, tensions melting away with each story. It would have been fine to do this forever with him. Being so close that the warmth radiated from his arm to yours.

"I tried to pet a cat." In disbelief, you laughed. A smile briefly graced his face.

Then the strike under his eye caught your attention. It was the most recent scar, and one you knew the origin of. Reaching out to touch it, he stopped you by curling his fingers around your hand. You breathed out a quiet apology for being so forward.

"I guess I never change, huh?" The question on your tongue was begging to be asked. If he struggled like you did. "About... that." A small gesture back to his scar. Revealing the less desirable parts of yourself was still difficult, but you wanted to know. "In the attack before we met, were you ever afraid?"

"At USJ?" His eyes darkened at the memory, but he waited for you to continue your thought.

"I was scared, Shouta. Terrified. So sure that even if someone came, I already pushed too far." You wanted to describe it to him, the way you had lost every hope for living. Drowning in that inky nothingness, every bit of you screaming with regret. It was as if your childhood fears were amplified by the reality of death. "I thought I was going to die alone."

After a long deliberation he poured half an ounce of gold colored liquid into the glass, and handed it over. With a sigh he shifted toward you, body pressing heavily onto yours. The half a shot felt equally as heavy. For some reason it was so reassuring to have him there.

"I don't sleep." His answer was simple, dull. "It's nothing new, to be honest. But realizing that no one is coming for you, and the fear... I understand it." Maybe that was a similar thing between you and him. Both reluctant to let your friends see you struggle. You took a sip from the glass and shuddered at the flavor. It was smooth, but still had the strong burn of bourbon. Even the small touch on your tongue instantly buzzed with warmth.

"I dream of them dying." He covered his face with a slight tremble in his hand. "Of falling too early." You gently placed the drink on the floor, focusing fully on his words. "...Failing to save them." Did he ever share his weaknesses with anyone before this? The sound of his voice was dry and cracked now.

"If only I were more capable."

His folded his hands together, knuckles white with how tightly he was squeezing. The dry irritation of his eyes was worse than usual. It dawned on you that he was probably trying not to – or even might not be _able_ to cry. Lightly touching his wrist, you hoped to ease something of his pain.

You never knew the details of the USJ attack, but...

"They came, didn't they?" No one ever noticed how mentally exhausted he must have been by keeping all of this bottled up. Wrapping your arms around his body, you held him tightly. It hurt to see him this way.

"Twice my kids were targeted. All Might doesn't have the power to come in at the last minute anymore." You could hear it, the anger and disappointment aimed at himself. His harsh whispering didn't do a thing to suppress that.

"Toshinori isn't the only one with the power to save others." Without Shouta, you would have died. "You're the one that came for me." He didn't know how strong he was, or that you thought the world of him. All your fears that were chased away because he was there.

"Thank you for that." Your fingers brushed at the hair that hung loosely in his face. Despite his eyes being bloodshot, it was hard to not think him beautiful.

Right.

The reason you were _there_ was to tell him.

Taking hold of his shirt, it was now or never. He had kissed you once, right? You didn't want to regret.

His lips were soft, and a bit dry. You only pressed your mouth on his before hovering centimeters apart. Letting him decide how he felt about this. His face was blank.

" _Oh god, this was a mistake._ "

"I'm so sorry, Aizawa." The heat rose to your face in embarrassment. You tried to pull away, but he held onto you tightly.

"Shouta, remember?" Dark eyes still bleary, he gave a half-smile. "I like it when you call me Shouta."

He closed the distance once more, tasting sweet from the alcohol. It was far more pleasant on his tongue than from the bottle. You closed your eyes, savoring the moment.

"I like you." You never wanted to admit how much you needed his acceptance until now. It wasn't the drinking or the need for someone to hold. You wanted him, alone. Did he feel the same? "You're okay with this... With me?"

He chuckled at that, the deep rumble in his chest took your attention from everything else. It was a quiet sort of laughter. Subtle and calm, just like Aizawa- no, _Shouta_ , always was.

The whisper in your ear was lilted with teasing. "Would you like me to show you?"

His hand trailed down your arm, the languid movement causing your already pink cheeks to flush even darker. The slow exploration of his touch was dizzying. With dark hair tickling your cheeks, you couldn't stop _looking_ at him. The way his muscles shifted under his clothes, relaxing with each kiss. A small gasp escaped your throat as his fingertips pressed into your hips, squeezing until your back arched in reflex. The kisses grew impatient and deep. His shirt slipped to the floor, hot skin leaning into yours.

Those half-lidded eyes made you want to do a variety of debauched things to him. Thoughts of making his usual composure break, reducing him to a trembling mess with only your mouth around his cock. Refusing to let him cum until he's begged passed his limit, pleading your name. But all of that would have to wait, because today was about learning.

Committing to memory the way Shouta would let out a growl when nipping at his collarbone. The sadistic smile he would give before lightly tugging on your hair, stringing kisses along your jaw line. Every move was slow and deliberate. You couldn't help but yank him roughly toward you as the tension built up. Falling backward onto the makeshift bed, you squeaked in pain. Damn these slow healing wounds.

"That's enough for today." Closing his eyes, Shouta pulled away. This was too much, too fast for his voice of reason. Despite your protests that _you were fine_ , he left you with only a kiss on the forehead and frustration as he disappeared to his room.

The order to rest felt impossible.

* * *

This is the longest chapter yet. Hopefully you guys enjoy that a little more. I easily doubled my usual chapter size.  
We're on a vacation of sorts, and I wasn't sure I could finish this in time. There's probably mistakes littered throughout... sorry!

Still trying to figure out my style for writing the kinkier scenes, too. Thanks again for all the readers, especially the last few anons that have commented - you guys are sweet and amazing.


	23. What's Worth Protecting

What's Worth Protecting.

* * *

After tossing and turning all night with no hope of sleep, it was about time to give up. Many things rushed around in your head. The events of last night, the school, and the most pressing matter – the media. So before even the sun and Shouta had risen for the day, you left to go see the principal.

It was eerily quiet on campus without the vibrant laughter normally occupying the halls. Still, you wanted to get this done as soon as possible, before your resolve gave out from the swirl of second thoughts. While you only saw the reporters once, the others had to be bothered by their constant presence for.. oh goodness, how long was it since the hero license exam? For far too long.

There was no reason for the students to get involved in your mess any longer.

Waiting outside Nedzu's office wasn't as long as you expected it to be. Crossing to the right building took some time, and the man-imal himself liked to be in his office early.

"Ah. Good morning." The principal greeted you kindly, not surprised at your impromptu visit. Bowing slightly, you gave your request.

"I'm sorry for the sudden intrusion. But I have a favor to ask." He invited you inside, gesturing to pick a chair and sit. "Because of me the press is bothering the school. I would like to do something about it. If possible, I would like to use your influence to set up an interview."

Crossing his paws in contemplation, he watched you for a good while before answering.

"I can indeed do this, but the staff and students do not think of this as an inconvenience. All of us at UA are behind you, so are you sure?" The sentiment was touching, but you already made up your mind. The school had become a second home, so protecting it was important.

"Yes. All I ask is for a reporter you trust to keep my words intact."

"I can set you up with someone once you are back at full health." Thanking Nedzu, you made the long trek back home.

xXx

Opening the door, the only thing that stood out was a note on the table. It was scrawled in small, deliberate writing.

Today's medication. Eat.

Shouta.

There was a small bento under the paper. It was nothing special, something you could buy from the convenience store, but it was still a kind gesture you appreciated. He would probably be in class about now. The medley of pills was growing smaller, and what was left didn't make you drowsy anymore.

It was lucky, too – you wanted to ask Mic for help making a speech, something that would be impossible to do when conked out for half the day. Grabbing the items on the table, you left to go find the loud English teacher.

When not at his radio show, he was usually bouncing around campus. It didn't take long to make out his excited voice from inside the staff room, even through the door. There were a few other teachers working on various things at their desks. Stepping inside, you gave a wave.

"There you are." His flipped his glasses up as if to make sure it was really you, letting them fall back down to the bridge of his nose with a smallthunk. Before you knew it, he was embracing you in a tight hug. You didn't hesitate to hug him back.

"Look at that! You're practically glowing compared to the last time I saw you. Shouta must be taking care of you properly after all!" He meant it so innocently, but you froze at his words. Last night was leaps and bounds beyond 'taking care of'. Mic was already moving on to the next topic, so he didn't notice the pink that rose to your cheeks. "Heard you found out about the media crazies outside."

"Ah... yeah. That's actually what I wanted to talk about." You cleared your throat (and head) nervously. "I'm going to give them the answers they want, but I have to figure out what I want to tell them. Could you, um.. help me with that?" Despite the dark lenses of his sunglasses, you could tell his smile reached all the way to his eyes.

"Of course I can! You'll have the most empathetic, convincing speech ever to be given. The Prime Minister won't be as eloquent as-"

"Okay, okay! That's a yes, then." Mic's enthusiasm was contagious, you were laughing as you cut him off. It was a relief to have his help. The door opened again, with Midnight greeting you in surprise.

"There's only a few die-hard reporters outside now. I may have had trouble reining in my quirk today." She gave you a flirty wink before picking an empty chair to sit in. "So you really are doing better. I saw Aizawa this morning, and he wasn't a huge grump for once."

A strangled noise left your throat.

"I-is that right?" You tried not to think about closeness the two of you shared while talking, the near tears, or any of the heated intimacy from last night. Kayama locked into the nervousness right away, her gaze heavy and suspicious.

"Did something happen between you and Aizawa?"

"Well... I mean..." It was painfully obvious something happened. There was no way to get away with a lie without her knowing. "...I told him." She knew what that meant, so maybe she wouldn't ask anymore questions and leave it at that.

"You guys are dating?!" It was Mic that jumped in now. A relationship wasn't something that came up in conversation. In fact, there wasn't much _discussed_ at all. Did he even date? You were stuttering out a vague answer, not sure how to explain while keeping last night private.

"Not exactly?" You could feel yourself digging a deeper hole of confusion by trying to dance around the question. Their eyes shone with interest, making it hard to look at them without getting embarrassed. "Shouta and I-"

"Shouta is it?" Kayama wouldn't let a slip up like that go unnoticed. Hands covering your face, the heat rose all the way to your ears.

"Well, dating... we never... um.." With your eyes shut you didn't notice that Thirteen and Blood King had stopped their pen scribbling to listen in. Or the way your friend's gazes shifted to the figure that came through the door without a sound. You only felt a heavy weight leaning on your shoulder, the warmth familiar.

"Dating?" Shouta's low voice was surprisingly close, with the same collected ease he always had. Peeking out between your fingers, you saw the cheeky grins of your so-called friends, the expectant glint in their eyes as they watched him. "Hn. I don't mind, but would it really be that different from the usual routine?"

Mic was the first to huff in disbelief. "Of course it's different!"

You didn't think peer pressure would ever convince Shouta to say 'yes' to something, but it wouldn't feel too good if he agreed on a whim either. Tugging on his sleeve, you pulled him closer to your height and whispered into his ear.

"Date me?" His mouth curled into a faint smile for just a moment before disappearing. The way everyone strained to hear the conversation was amusing, so he whispered back in his own quiet manner.

"I said wouldn't mind."

* * *

Well, this week's chapter is much lighter than the last. Both in length and content, ahaha.

Some of the comments I've been getting are very amusing! I almost choked at one in particular... (Yugi's "can't wait for the cock-in-my-mouth scene")


	24. With You

With You.

* * *

There was zero doubts you had the worst poker face in the world. With only a few days left before the next semester began you convinced Shouta to go on one date. Well, if you were honest it took you and three other people to make him think it was a good idea.

It was supposed to be a day even a sleep loving man could enjoy, but it was somehow turning into the greatest disaster ever.

The quiet, secluded day at the park was anything _but_. Children and parents crowded around every inch of grass for some sort of live hero extravaganza. A popular show about the hero agencies and the fictional heroes that came from them, or so said the large pop-up screen in the middle of the stage. Some of the quirks used were clearly knockoffs of recent popular heroes. While you were lucky to get a spot to sit, it was obvious you were flustered at the bad timing of the event. Glancing at Shouta, he sat with his eyes closed and eating one of the onigiri that was supposed to be for lunch. Being surrounded by a thousand odd people wasn't his idea of a good time, but he was kind enough to not say it out loud.

Spending time with every family in a two mile radius was not your idea of a good time. Hurrying to pack up the food and drink, you balked as the show started off with a literal bang. Small fireworks caught your attention as the first character showed up to warm out the crowd.

"HEY HEY. ITS ME..."

The children all shouted back with glee.

"FUTURE MICA!" Her shiny chrome outfit and futuristic specs were not enough to hide the obvious source material. Her long blonde hair was put up in a beehive, strangely close to your blonde cockatoo friend. A strangled choke could be heard to your right, where Shouta was trying unsuccessfully to keep a straight face. His teeth were clenched in a lopsided grimace, eyes dancing in amusement.

The rest of the show went on without care that you were dragging your suddenly interested hero away. The two of you weaved through the sea of people, the vacated spot being swarmed instantly by another family. It was hard not to laugh.

"That's on the edge of being legal. You think Mic knows?" Walking along the loopy trail that headed away from the train station, it was much quieter. Shouta held up his phone with a clear shot of Mic's counterpart, the mischievous smirk on his face endearing.

"He does now." With a tap the text was sent, and you fell into a fit of laughter. You loved the teasing side of him, though it only came out with people he trusted. "Another reason I like being out of the spotlight." His smile was already gone, shaking his head at the thought of having a children's show double.

Soon another secluded spot was found, and he was leaning against your shoulder. At home it wasn't much different, dating consisted of him coming back late and collapsing on you until he fell asleep. But to be honest, it didn't bother you at all. In fact, it was rather nice. Closing your eyes, you enjoyed the quiet.

"Hizashi tells me your speech is going well. _Both_ of them." Shouta's sudden words made you jump.

"Its really all him." The alternate speech was supposed to be a secret. "I... haven't decided which one to use." Although staying at UA was something you wanted, if it sounded like the media wouldn't give up then you would say goodbye. He stared, but didn't press any further.

"Then, you can try again instead." Your heart lurched in nervousness. Holding up the lunches, he placed one at the end of the blanket. "Use your quirk."

The two of you had been practicing together for a few days now. There was no problem using it to push objects, but the first time using it against midnight, was impossible. Again, you knocked away the lunchbox with ease. With a noise of approval, Shouta turned to you with calm confidence.

"Now toward me."

A wave of dizziness passed over your head, sickness coming back. You tried anyway, a weak push sparking out before familiar blood splatters and screams flashed in your head.

Shouta's face was expressionless, so when he tapped your forehead it surprised you.

"This is nothing like what happened before. So trust me." You put your arm on his, watching as his hair waved upward to remind you of his safety net. Biting through uneasiness you managed to move him backward, this time his quirk erasing your own so he wouldn't move. "Not bad."

The power wasn't important. It was getting over your fear, and although you stared trying to make sure he wasn't hurt anywhere, a part of you knew that you were ready to try again.

xXx

Nerves and fear. Looking to the reporter sitting across from you, you wanted to pass out. A statement, not just for UA to Japan, but from you to... well, everyone. The words were there; too many words and choices. Depending on how the interview went, how accusing and unforgiving the media wanted to be; it was possible that you wouldn't set foot in UA ever again.

There were three. All from reputable stations, and each one with the seal of approval from Nedzu himself. B

The questions were difficult. They took no time at all asking if you were fit to be a hero and a teacher that could be responsible for students.

What if you got out of control?

"Like every quirk user should be, I am well aware of my limits. The train station incident resulted from a – series of unfortunate circumstances." Pretending to be confident was helping. "Such a thing wouldn't happen again. And as you are well aware, constant training will make sure of that."

Can the parents trust a person like you to instill the proper values in their children? Why aren't quirks teetering on the edge of murderous regulated? Should you even be at UA still? _Does a hero kill?_

As though you were on autopilot, you could barely register yourself answering everything. If only you were back at the school, where your friends had promised to watch the interview on tv and support you.

You practiced this. You had help from Mic. He was a natural speaker, full of charisma and confidence. _Say what you wanted to say._

Was it goodbye? Or... something else? Opening your mouth, the words seemed to click.

"Heroes have a thin line to walk on. Subduing, hurting, defending, saving. That's what UA is teaching the students. What happens when you try to take everything on by yourself, I know it first hand. Every single one of those children are amazing, but if I can teach them how to avoid the experiences I had... I'll do it. As long as the school and the students want me, then I don't regret staying."

There was no reason to doubt the principal on his choice of reporters. Still, you somehow expected more yelling. They were quiet and respectful, only scribbling your comments and thanking you for the time.

When the camera crew and reporters finally packed their things, you walked back alone to the school.

The route was a familiar one, the streets and people just as you remembered them. Only the weather cooling as Autumn drew near indicated that anything changed at all. It was quieter now then it had been for a long time, the laughter of pedestrians not quite registering in your ears.

The UA gate loomed in the distance. What once was a far away world of heroics somehow became your home, and the people in it your family. Despite everything – the flaws and mistakes you made – you still belonged. A flash of yellow caught your eye, bringing a smile to your face.

" _Sleeping again?_ " Before he was only an interesting stop before the train station. Now the sight of your caterpillar man tugged at something in your chest. His normally grumpy face (which could still be called cute) was softer when he slept, relaxed enough to notice how long and full his eyelashes were. It was a rarity to be sure, but Shouta wasn't exactly a common man. Bending down to get a better look, you let out a soft laugh.

"What are you doing here, its the middle of the day." Cracking open an eye, he mumbled out an unintelligible comeback. You watched in amusement as he detached himself from his cocoon, yawning all the while.

"Good to see it went well."

"I haven't said anything about it yet." With a low hum, he made his way inside the school.

"It seemed obvious. But if you can handle that, your students won't be a problem either." You knew not everyone would be happy with your stay, but the worries seemed so small as you walked by Shouta's side.

"I look forward to this new semester..."

"I'm sure it will be as annoying as ever." You nudge him, calling him out on his terrible lie.

"You can't hide that soft side from me. I know you love your students." The bell rings, and he huffs at you, his walking pace suddenly increasing enough you had to jog to keep up.

"Hurry, or you'll be late for your own class."

* * *

That's it, the end!

There were a lot of points I wish I went deeper into, but honestly the story was getting much bigger than I accounted for. I know I suck at writing endings, but I hope it was satisfying. (It's what I get for following an unfinished manga).  
I wanted to end on a hopeful note, with all sorts of possibilities.

Yes, there's an afterward too...  
It's all smut (and not even good smut?), so any reader is happy with this fluffy ending *stop here*.  
Ohohohohoho.

Thank you for all the sweet comments wishing me to better health. I know I didn't reply to any of them, but I was feeling pretty miserable. Thanks for all your support and interest in this story.  
I feel like I haven't been writing well enough after a certain point, but I'm proud to keep up the plot this long.  
My writing style has me plotting out every tiny detail before I start a project, and I definitely had to wing it at points. '_';;

Let me take the time to say: You guys are the loveliest people ever!  
Thank you so, so much.

Here's another secret - aside from the first chapter, all of this is unbeta'd... I'm too embarrassed to ask someone to go through it. (and now you know why the quality varies!)


	25. Afterward: Tangled

Afterward: Tangled.

* * *

As of yesterday the last of your things were moved out of your apartment and into the new flat exactly two levels above Shouta's. It wasn't much of a size change from the old place, some of it arguably better with the hot spring bath and full kitchen on the ground floor. Hanging up some clothes, you turned back to the lazy disheveled lump that was _supposed_ to be helping. Instead he was half asleep on the bed. You threw a pile of sheets at him, watching him shift in annoyance when the fabric covered his head.

"Can you be useful?" It was the last thing to do and you would officially live at UA. Besides putting him to work, fitted sheets were bothersome for one person alone. One side would always roll back to the middle no matter how careful you were. With minimal complaints from Shouta, you were soon smoothing out the wrinkles and making everything look presentable.

Suddenly, strong arms were encircling you from behind, causing the both of you to fall on the bed. He buried his face into your neck, your tiny hum of surprise only spurring him to tighten the hug.

"Why so affectionate?"

"Celebrating." You laugh at that. Celebrating what, exactly? Laying in a comfortable heap, his usual self returned as he rested his head against your back, reminding you that you were fully healed and discharged from Recovery Girl's care. A sideways glance revealed the dusky heat in his eyes. "We were cut short last time."

Wiggling until your bodies faced one another, you leaned into a kiss.

"Pretty sure that was your fault." You pretended to huff at him in mock offense. Hands settling on his hip bones, you squeeze slightly. "So make it up to me."

Moving his palm to your cheek, thumb dancing over your lips, Shouta kissed you once more. His gaze never faltered from yours, the taste of him still sweet and intoxicating. You wanted to steal his heat, deepening the kiss with growing need. Sweeping your tongue over his lips, he followed your hungry pace.

You bit into his lips until they bruised a dark pink, the state of his arousal growing hard igniting your own lust. Shivering when the floating sensation hit you, he held your body tight against the bed. Only a small whimper let him know you were upset at the loss of contact. He held you down with ease, eyes flashing crimson to make sure you didn't try to escape from his grip.

"Too impatient" The breathy words in your ear sent vibrations through your entire body. His pace is languid, unbearably slow in undressing you. Your skin cools when it touches the air, and he presses kisses into your shoulder where the color is lighter, newer from the scar tissue.

A rare smile grew on his lips, accompanied by and endless rush of praise in how beautiful you looked.

Biting your lip, it was hard to hold back when his fingers were tracing each dip of your skin and body. Your hands dragged over the fabric that hid his chest and stomach, feeling the taut muscles firm underneath. Stuck in a daze, you were vaguely impressed at how well his acrobatic tendencies kept him fit.

Reaching down you found his cock warm and semi-hard. It felt lovely against your hands before he rudely pinned your arms above your head.

"What did I say about being patient?" Tugging at the loops of cloth around his neck, he slipped them over your wrists. It was a loose knot, snug – but possible to wiggle out of with some effort.

"I can get out of this." He drank the sight of your body under him, surveying the haphazard bindings down to where he straddled your legs.

"You can." He smirked, eyes flashing with a touch of sadism. With his free hands he unzipped his costume, revealing just how bare he was underneath. "But will you?"

Swallowing hard at the way his words caused you to shiver, you shifted in anticipation.

"No..."

"Good." He kissed your belly, slowly working his way up to your lips, cock pressed against your thigh. Your breath quickened to short gasps.

Squirming under his control, you ached for more. Every touch burned with inextinguishable heat, body raising to meet his in desperation. Each reflexive movement he backed away, intent on dragging out his teasing. Those normally sleepy eyes were alight with mischief.

"Fu... This i-isn't very hero like." Your voice stutters, squeaking out when he slides a knee between your legs to part them. His breath is hot in your ear.

"Who said I was trying to be?" His fingers were slick inside you, the friction driving your hips in circles against the bed. He encouraged the moans that spilled from your mouth, constant motion overwhelming.

"Shouta, please..." You licked your lips, unable to form much more than lovely whimpering.

Moving closer, he obliged, erection pressing against your cheek. Without the use of your hands, your eyes pleaded with wanting. He pushed himself into your waiting mouth, tongue swirling around the head before taking half of him. He sighed at how warm you were, thrusting slowly until every inch was swallowed. A heat ran through you causing a hum around his cock. When was the last time you needed someone so badly? The drunken urge to please, selfishly wanting him to only think of you. When your name escaped his lips, his sex-laced voice raspy and low, you came.

He patiently watched the way your body shuddered, drool pooling around him and down your chin. Pulling out of your mouth with a lewd pop, Shouta wedged himself between your thighs. Sinking himself in, you moaned prettily, still sensitive from your high. Sighing when his body touched yours. You felt full.

It wasn't enough to sit and feel, you wanted to move against him. Sex was always a fun activity, but you couldn't remember being so frenzied with anyone else. Bringing your wrists up, still tied together, you slipped your arms around his head, catching his neck and pulling him close. They way his cheeks flushed pink was alluring. Fingers gripping soft strands of hair, you held him still and ground your hips, pushing him deeper. He sat up, taking you with him until you straddled his lap, cock still buried inside you.

He chuckled at your eager lust, whispering into your chest where your embrace kept him. "Move for me. Fuck me until I cum." Feet tangled in the sheets below, you didn't mind having to fix them later.

Rolling your hips up until you could just feel the tip of his cock, you hovered for a moment before driving downward. A cry escaped your lips, drowned out by his own gorgeous sounds. Licking at your breasts, teasing the tender flesh, you rode him until the hot buzz of nearing release came again.

"Sho..." Breath catching, your muscles tightened around him. Wet and dripping, he held you tightly until he came with a low groan

You mumbled against him in exhaustion, legs shaking. He fell over with a plop, and you with him. The two of you lay in a tangled heap to catch your breath.

"I said: you're a villain, teasing me like that." Fiddling with the ties, it only took a minute to free yourself. Cum would soon start leaking, but you wanted to lay with him for a little while longer. Your face pressed to his chest, his heartbeat loud to your ears.

"You didn't seem to mind."

With a light punch to his arm, you promised to get him back one day soon. A day where he was being particularly lazy would be ideal. Of course, that usually meant any time at all.

* * *

I've never written smut in the first person before...  
It was strange, to say the least.

I don't even know if this is OOC at this point.


End file.
